Maryland volleyball announced Monday the addition of setter Nicole Alford, a transfer from Georgia Tech who will have three years’ eligibility remaining.
After coach Steve Aird departed for Indiana in December, three players announced their intentions to transfer, including former Under Armour First Team All-American recruits Samantha Drechsel and Gia Milana, leaving the Terps thin at several positions. Coach Adam Hughes, hired to replace Aird in January, said his team would be in the mix for transfers.
Alford extends Maryland’s surplus at the setter position. She played in 61 sets last year for the Yellow Jackets and totaled at least 20 assists on four occasions.
[Read more: “They know who I am”: Adam Hughes brings familiarity to Maryland volleyball]
“I’m excited that Nicole’s coming back to represent her home state of Maryland,” Hughes said in a release. “She brings with her a wealth of experience at the setting position playing for one of the top club programs in the country, as well as working within the USA High Performance Pipeline.”
The Annapolis native is the fifth setter on the team, while the Terps still lack depth at defensive specialist and outside and opposite hitter.
Alford competed for Metro Volleyball, a club team in Washington, D.C. that has developed into a pipeline for Maryland recruiting. Middle blocker Rainelle Jones, a 2018 signee, also competes for the club, and last season five Terps were former Metro Volleyball players. Alford was also named a 2016 Prep Volleyball Senior Ace.
“Knowing Nicole’s personality and character, I know she will be a great fit for this program,” Hughes said in a release, “and I’m excited to see what she can achieve during her time here in College Park.”
