Makes an early impact for Cowgirl Volleyball
Courtesy photo by Newsbreak.com
This week’s Athlete Spotlight is Rylee Heinz. The freshman middle blocker has wasted no time making her presence known for the University of Wyoming volleyball team. The 6-foot-2 Rocklin, California, native has quickly become one of the Cowgirls’ top performers at the net. Through this season, she has recorded 87 kills while hitting .339, making her second on the team in total kills. Her biggest impact has been on defense, as she currently leads the Cowgirls with 42 total blocks, averaging just under one block per set.
In the early part of the season, her performance earned attention within the conference, as she was named the Old Trapper Mountain West Freshman of the Week. The honor followed a strong outing at the Idaho State Orange & Black Classic, where she averaged 2.5 kills per set and hit .344 across all matches while also leading the Cowgirls with 13 blocks.
Rylee reached double-digit kills twice during the tournament. She finished with 11 kills while hitting .409 against Idaho State before tying her career-high of six blocks against Pacific. Not only has she had a successful college career, but her high school career was just as stellar. She was named the Sierra Foothills League Most Valuable Player and earned All-SFL honors twice. She competed in beach volleyball and played club volleyball for SynergyForce, helping the program earn first-place finishes at the Girls Junior National 15s tournament and in the WCVBA League at the 16s level.
Head coach Kaylee Prigge highlighted her ability. Her ability to attack behind the setter and contribute as a blocker were two major reasons why Coach Prigge signed her to Wyoming. Prigge describes Rylee as an upbeat and consistent player who brings strong energy to the program.
With conference play beginning and plenty of volleyball still ahead, we are excited to see what Rylee will continue to bring on and off the court.
Rylee Heinz at a Glance: No. 57 | Middle Blocker | 6’2″ | Freshman | Rocklin, California | Rocklin High School
