Rock Hill, S.C. – Head coach
Heather Gearhart has announced the Winthrop Volleyball 2029 signing class. The class includes four student-athletes; Addison Torain, KeAra Bowen, Trabrece Marbley, and Makenzie Malloy.
"I'm really looking forward to this class getting on campus. They are a dynamic group that is developing very rapidly and still has a ton of ceiling left," Gearhart said. "They all exemplify the definition of student-athletes and are pursuing excellence both on and off the court. They are a really fun group and can make a big impact on this program in a multitude of ways."
Addison Torain | Libero | 5'7 | Aurora, IL| Sports Performance
Torain was a three-year varsity letter winner and two year captain for Metea Valley High School. At Metea, Torain was three-time all-conference, named to the Dupage County All-Area Team, all-state honorable mention, led her team in kills in 2024, led the conference in digs in 2023 and was the Chicago Tribune Athlete of the Week. She was also named one of the Top 120 high school players in Illinois her junior year.
On the club scene, Torain competes for Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Illinois. She is a two-time AVCA Phenom, three-time JVA Watchlist Member, AAU 17 Open silver medalist, and JVA World Challenge 16 premier bronze medalist. Addison is ranked the 13th libero in the state by Prep Dig and ranked the 71st overall player in the state by Prep Dig.
Off the court, Torain carries a 4.2 weighted GPA and was a 3x all-academic conference and all-academic state team member. She is an Ecology Club member, Filling Hearts with Hope Club member, math tutor, Great Lakes Youth Academy coach, and Captains Council member.
Torain on why she chose Winthrop: "I chose Winthrop because I fell in love with the campus, the coaches, and the girls right away. When I watched the Homecoming basketball game with the team on my visit, I felt like I fit right in. I knew these girls would be my new family, and WU would be my new home."
"Addison is a real go-getter and has an intrinsic drive to compete and get better," says Gearhart. "She is very athletic and can cover the whole court both in serve receive and defense. She is able to do all the skills at a really high level and we are excited to have someone of her caliber to add to our ball control unit and impact our gym culture right away."
KeAra Bowen | Opposite | 6'0 | Huntsville, AL | United Volleyball Club
Bowen was a four-year varsity letter winner at Huntsville High School where she was named to the Region 8 7A All-Area Team three times as well as twice being named all-region and all-state. Heading into her senior year she was named to the AHSVCA Preseason Watch List where AL.Com named her 6th of Top 30 Seniors in the state. She also represented the North team on the AHSAA All-Star team and surpassed 1,500 career kills and over 300 career blocks.
On the club circuit, Bowen competes for United Volleyball Club. Her 17s season they double qualified for USAV Nationals in the 17 National Division, finishing 23rd in the division and 48th overall in the country. Bowen was also selected for the SRVA High Performance Team in 2022.
Bowen excels off the court as well. She carries a 4.3 GPA and is a part of the A Honor Roll. She is the treasurer of the National Honors Society and a member of numerous societies and organizations including: the National Math Honors Society and National Science Honors Society, HOSA (Health Organization Students of America), Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and The Becoming Church where she works in the children's ministry on Sundays. She is also a Certified Patient Care Technician.
Bowen on why she chose Winthrop: "The amazing coaching staff, and it genuinely felt like my home away from home!"
"Ke has the ability to make a big impact in our conference," Gearhart said. "She is a very natural blocker and has a quick arm with an expansive offensive range. She's a great learner and eager to get better and is getting better each time we see her compete. She plays with a lot of fire and has an innate leadership quality that easily connects her to others."
Trabrece Marbley | Outside Hitter | 5'9 | Humble, TX | Houston Juniors
Marbley was a three-year varsity letter winner for Humble High School and team captain. Her senior year, she was named to the AVCA All-America Watch List. During her career, she was offensive player of the year, two-time 1st Team All-District, and a VYPE Hou Public School Volleyball Player of the Year fan nominee. She was named to Houston HS 6A- District 23: Five Players to Watch List as well as the AVCA Phenom Watch List. Her team twice won the Big Mac Attack Tournament, where she was named MVP and All-Tournament. They also won the Stafford Tournament and twice went to high school Bi-District Playoffs.
Off the court, Marbley holds a 4.4 GPA and was twice named Academic All-District and is a National Honor Society Member.
Marbley on why she chose Winthrop: "I chose Winthrop because as soon as I stepped foot on campus it felt like home!""
"Bre is a 6-ro outside who will add some physicality on our left pin," Gearhart says. "She jumps very well and is able to be physical as both a blocker and attacker. She has a great internal motor so we are seeing a lot of rapid improvement from her in all areas of her game. She has the ability to play all 6 rotations with her ball control and we are excited to get her competitiveness in our gym."
Makenzie Malloy | Opposite | 6'1 | Dacula, GA | A5
Malloy was a dual sport athlete at Mill Creek High School playing volleyball and lacrosse. She was a two-year varsity letter winner for Mill Creek and team captain her senior year. Her second year of volleyball, she was named 2024 6A All-Region Player of the Year, earned 2024 GVCA All-State Honors, 2024 First Team All-Region, and was selected to play in the 2024 GVCA Senior All-Star Game. She was first in the region for kills and hitting percentage, and Top 10 in Class 6A in hitting percentage and Top 15 in Class 6A in kills. On the club circuit, she will be competing for A5 and competed for A5 Gwinnett Volleyball Club. Off the court, Malloy maintains a 3.9 GPA, is a member of FCA, and participated in the 2023-2024 Peer Leadership Conference.
Malloy on why she chose Winthrop: "I chose Winthrop because of the coaching staff and the players. The coaching staff is committed to developing their players while creating an inclusive and positive environment. I love the atmosphere and culture that the players have created as well. Additionally, Winthrop is a strong academic school and has a great Pre-Med Program that will help me for the future."
"Makenzie is a really steady competitor and just at the beginning of her volleyball career," Gearhart said. "She has only been playing for a few years and has a natural understanding of the physical components of the game. She is a gifted blocker and will impact other team's offenses right away. She has already developed a ton in the time we've been recruiting her and has a ton of potential. We are excited to see her continue to develop her game here."
