Rock Hill, S.C. – Head coach
Heather Gearhart has announced two transfers joining the Winthrop Volleyball program this coming spring;
Lexi Thatcher, a setter from Indianapolis, Ind., and
Laila Glover, an opposite from Bear, Del. They each have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
"I'm very excited for the addition of these two," Gearhart said. "When adding players to our program, continuing the culture and finding the right fit is the primary focus, and they will fit in great with what we are trying to build here at Winthrop. They are both committed to the holistic student-athlete experience as great students and people off the court and are hungry to compete and contribute on the court. I'm looking forward to their collegiate backgrounds helping them come in and make us better and also helping them achieve their collegiate goals."
Lexi Thatcher | Setter | 5'11 | Indianapolis, IN | Samford
Thatcher comes to Winthrop after two seasons at Samford University in the Southern Conference. In her tenure, she notched 1,952 total assists in 58 matches, is a two-time Southern Conference Setter of the Week honoree, and led the conference in assists per set last year.
She has seen action in every match of her collegiate career and started every match in her sophomore campaign. She led the team in assists both seasons with 1,107 her sophomore year while averaging 10.64 assists per set. Thatcher added 14 double-doubles last season highlighted by a career-best 67 assists against UTC on September 29
th.
In her prep career, Thatcher was recognized as the No. 1 setter in the state of Indiana by Prep Dig and was named Indianapolis All-City, Circle City All-Conference, and All-District.
Off the court, Thatcher was twice named to the Dean's List while maintaining a 3.7 GPA. She is currently pursuing a degree in psychology.
Thatcher on why she chose Winthrop:
"I chose Winthrop because of the great culture that the girls and coaches have created. Winthrop gives the opportunity to get a good education and to play volleyball at a high level with good competition."
Gearhart on Thatcher:
"Lexi is a seasoned setter who proved herself in the Southern Conference, earning multiple setter of the week accolades in a tough conference," says Gearhart. "Her court and leadership experience will serve us well as we continue to pursue conference championships."
Laila Glover | Opposite | 5'10 | Bear, DE | Manhattan
Glover is joining the Eagles after two seasons at Manhattan University in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference. In two seasons, she accumulated 446 kills, 104 blocks, and 502.5 points.
In her sophomore season, she was second on the team in total kills while averaging 2.77 points per set. Glover registered double-digit kills in 11 matches, with her season-high 18 coming against Merrimack. She was also named to the Wildcat Invitational Team in her freshman year.
Off the court, Glover was named Academic-All MAAC twice, a member of the Dean's List, the DEI chair of SAAC, a member of the Model UN, and an event coordinator for the Manhattan Black Student Union.
Glover on why she chose Winthrop:
"I chose Winthrop because of its beautiful campus, competitive volleyball program and it's political science department."
Gearhart on Glover:
"Laila will bring solid experience to our opposite group since she's used to carrying a large load of the offense, and is eager to come in and put in the work to be great," Gearhart said.
