Skylights add three volleyball stars

The MSU-Northern volleyball team is in the offseason, but it's been a busy time for Skylight head coach Bill Huebsch. The Northern head man has been hard at work recruiting, and it's turning out to be a great offseason for MSU-N.

This week, Huebsch announced the signing of three new transfers to MSU-Northern, and all three could have an immediate impact on the Skylights program.

Northern has signed Kelsey Williams, a 5-10 outside hitter. Williams, who is originally from Helena and Helena High, will transfer to MSU-N from Frontier Conference power Lewis-Clark State. Williams is currently a sophomore at LC State and she had a brilliant high school career in Helena. While playing for the Bengals, she was a three-sport standout, earning 12 letters overall – four apiece in volleyball, basketball and track. She was the first female athlete at her school to earn 12 letters, as well as being an outside hitter in volleyball, she was a shooting guard in basketball and was captain of both teams her final two seasons. She started all four seasons for both teams, was a three-time first-team all-conference selection in volleyball and also earned first-team all-state honors twice.

Williams is all-time kills leader at Helena High in volleyball, while she was also a phenomenal athlete in track. She competed in the javelin, hurdles and discus in track and placed at state in the javelin three times. She was the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year for Montana for the 2009-10 volleyball season and earned her Wendy's Heisman Award and Pat Donovan Award from her school for her academic and athletic achievements.

Williams, who is the daughter of Marvin and Sheila Williams, is also an excellent student, was a member of National Honor Society and graduated with a 3.5 GPA.

Also set to join Northern is 6-2 middle blocker Victoria Polo. She comes to Northern from Golden West Community College in Huntington, Beach, Calif., where she has spent the last two seasons and this past year, led her team in blocks with 94. Polo's community college team is one of the top team's in the state of California and plays in the toughest community college league in the state.

Polo graduated from St. Paul High School in 2009 and was a two-time first-team all-conference selection in the Camino Del Ray League. She also helped her team reach the California state quarterfinals in high school. Polo brings a wealth of experience to MSU-N by having not only played at the high school and college level, but also in the Southern California Club Volleyball Circuit for seven years.

Polo says she is excited about attending Northern and is hoping to take her game to the next level. She plans on majoring in graphic design while in Havre.

The third transfer who has signed a letter of intent to play for the Skylights next season is Hillary Isleifson, a 6-0 outside hitter who is transferring from Oklahoma Panhandle State. Isleifson is originally from Carlyle, Saskatchewan.

Isleifson played two years of high school volleyball with the Carlyle Cougars, earning two silver medals at the 4A Provincial level. In her senior year, she helped to win the 5A Provincial Championship, and was named most valuable player, as a member of the Weyburn Eagles. She played club volleyball with the South East Stingers attending several provincial championships and travelling across Canada to take part in various national championships. She played her final year of club volleyball with the Weyburn Eagles and won another provincial title. She was also a member of Team Saskatchewan in 2007.

Currently a sophomore at Oklahoma Panhandle State University where she has played her last two years as an outside hitter and setter for the Aggies, Isleifson was elected team captain as well as Female Student Athlete of the Year in her freshman year at OPSU.

Isleifson plans to study pre physical therapy at MSU-N. Northern appealed to her because of the small campus and class sizes and because of the positive attitude of the coaching staff. She is looking forward to being a part of the Skylights and hopes to better herself and the team both on and off the court. She is the daughter of Brian and Bertha Isleifson.