STATESBORO – Volleyball coach Chad Willis announced today that Kirsten Barrett (Cleveland, Ohio/Saint Joseph Academy) and Maggie Sale (Severna Park, Maryland/Severna Park) have signed to attend Georgia Southern and play for the Eagles, beginning in the 2022 season.

"Today is another great day to be an Eagle as we welcome two quality additions to our Georgia Southern Volleyball family," said Willis. "This 2022 recruiting class was unique, given the need to adapt in the middle of the pandemic, but I am proud and appreciative of the work Taylor Sherwin and Efrain Negron continue to put in as we elevate our culture and brand. Kirsten and Maggie are not just high-level competitors, but each brings passion, energy and an attitude that align with our overall mission and vision of pursuing excellence on and off the court. We're looking forward to having them join us this summer and are excited about the depth they'll add as we continue to work towards a Sun Belt Championship." 

Kirsten Barrett, 5-10, S, Cleveland, Ohio / Saint Joseph Academy / AVC
Tallied 667 assists, 146 digs, 121 kills and 52 aces as a senior for coach Kate Latkovic at Saint Joseph Academy • Owns the school record for career assists with 2,451 • Named Division I first-team All-Ohio by Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association • Named American Volleyball Coaches Association High School All-Region • Named first-team all-district the last two seasons and the district MVP in 2021 • Played club for coach Meredith Gromala at Academy Volleyball Cleveland • Named to the 2021 AVCA All-American Watchlist • Named to the 2020 Ultra Ankle JVA Watch List and AVCA Phenom List • Named honorable mention on the 2019 PrepVolleyball Soph 79 List.
Willis on Barrett:
"Kirsten is a dynamic and skilled setter, who will make an immediate impact in our locker room and gym. Kirsten has accumulated quite an impressive prep career along with training and competing with one of the premier clubs at Academy of Cleveland in Ohio. Court presence, leadership and the ability to compete and manage an offense at an elite level are attributes we look for in setters. We are confident Kirsten brings all of these combined with her character and pursuit of excellence athletically and academically that will help shape and build our culture moving forward."

Maggie Sale, 5-11, OH, Severna Park, Maryland / Severna Park / Chesapeake Elite
Played for coach Timothy Dunbar at Severna Park High School, where she posted an 84.1 serve percentage, a .243 kill percentage and totaled 20 blocks as a senior • Played club for coach Kameron Beans at Chesapeake Elite • Named Captain and MVP and hit. 397 with 439 kills and 53 blocks.
Willis on Sale: 
"Maggie is a talented outside, who will add athleticism and explosiveness to our pin position group. Maggie has trained under great coaches during her prep career, and we're excited to get her acclimated to the tempo and physicality of the collegiate game. Maggie's speed and hand on ball ability are going to help her develop into a consistent point scoring threat for our team offensively. Maggie is committed to working hard, and her passion for competing and being a great teammate are a great fit for our culture as we continue to build towards championships."

The 2021 Eagles finish off the regular season by hosting Troy and South Alabama Friday and Saturday. Both contests are set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Friday's match is Hawaiian Shirt Night, and Saturday's contest is Senior Night.