On the heels of an OVC Championship season which culminated in an NCAA Tournament appearance, Eastern Illinois volleyball has reloaded for the 2024 season with addition of eight new players.
Head coach
Sara Thomas has added a mixture of veteran and new players adding to the depth of the Panthers roster at several positions. Included in the mix of players are several with international playing experience including freshman
Destiny Walker who has played this summer with the Puerto Rican National Team.
EIU welcomes to the 2024 roster
Ariadna Pereles (5'5 – LIB/DS),
Destiny Walker (5'10 – OH/OPP),
Katie Kopshever (5'11 - OH/OPP),
Matilda Dahlstrom (6'1 - MB),
Karli Mann (5'10 – OH/OPP),
Manon Braunsteffer (6'2 – MB),
Julia Udell (5'4 – LIB/DS) and
Emma Schroeder (6'2 – MB).
Listed below are bios on each new addition to the EIU roster. The Panthers open the regular season on August 30 hosting Marquette, the team EIU lost to in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Pereles (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) is a high school product. HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Colegio Adianez and played club volleyball for Vaqueras... as a prep player helped team win national championship tournament during both sophomore and senior years... team advanced to the sub-championship during junior season... held highest student-athlete GPA during sophomore year... also lettered in softball in high school... Misc.: Father Eli Pereles played college basketball...
Walker (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) is a high school product. HIGH SCHOOL: Attended CIEM Private School for high school and played club volleyball for Cangrejeras... during the summer of 2024 played for the Puerto Rico Junior and Senior National Teams... has been part of Puerto Rico National Team U19, U21 and Senior National Team since 2022... has international experience playing at the World Championships, Pan American Cup, Pan American Games, Continental Championship and Challenger Cup... Misc.: Raised in a volleyball family with both parents working as volleyball coaches...
Kopshever (Newburgh, Ind.) is a high school product. HIGH SCHOOL: Played volleyball at Castle High School helping lead team to four straight conference championships from 2020-2023... team finished as Indiana Class 4A State Runners-Up during sophomore and senior years... named an All-State selection... was a Junior Indiana All-Star Team selection and Senior indiana All-Star team selection... finished prep career with more than 1,000 kills... played club for Evansville United...
Dahlstrom (Malmo, Sweden) is a transfer from Hillsborough College in Florida. JUNIOR COLLEGE: Played two seasons at Hillsborough Community College in Florida... as a sophomore in 2023 led the NJCAA in kills per set (4.72) and points per set while ranking fourth in the nation in total kills with 515... had 11 matches with 20 or more kills including a season high 34 kills against Pasco-Hernando State College... played in 31 matches and 109 sets during the season... ended year with a .209 hitting percentage to earn honorable mention All-American honors... named first team All-Region and All-Conference... added 249 digs, 43 blocks and 43 aces during the season... was named the FCSAA Robert Stokes Academic Volleyball Athlete of the Year... as a freshman in 2022 earned second team All-Conference honors... played in 27 matches and 83 sets... had 204 kills (2.46) with a .286 hitting percentage... added 19 aces, 101 digs and 45 blocks... HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Allebergsgymnasiet (RIG) and played club volleyball for Svedala... was part of U20 Silver Swedish Championship team, U23 Bronze Swedish Championship team... also won Youth Gran Prix Silver and Silver NEVZA Swedish witht the youth national team... played beach volleyball in high school...
Mann (Herrin, Ill.) is a high school product. HIGH SCHOOL: Played volleyball at Herrin High School... multiple sport standout that lettered in volleyball, basketball, tennis and track... helped lead volleyball team to regional championships as a freshman and as a senior... led basketball team to a regional championship as a senior... was named Herrin HS Female Athlete of teh Year as a junior and senior... registered more than 1,000 kills in high school... earned All-Conference honors multiple times in multiple sports (four times in volleyball, four times in track, twice in basketball... was a state qualifier and four times in track earning All-State honors in the triple jump... played club volleyball for Evansville United... Misc.: Brother Drew Mann played golf at Rend Lake College...
Braunsteffer (Paris, France) is a transfer from Monroe College in New York. JUNIOR COLLEGE: Played two seasons at Monroe College in New York... as a sophomore in 2023 led NJCAA in attack percentage finishing the season with a .397 hitting clip with 220 kills (2.22)... played in 32 matches with 99 sets played... helped lead team to Region 10 Championship before losing in Atlantic District Championship... added 87 blocks to rank 64th in the nation with only four block errors... averaged 0.88 blocks per set... added 30 digs... as a freshman in 2022 was named the Monroe College Freshman of the Year... made All-District Tournament team helping program win Gulf Atlantic District Championship and advance to the NJCAA National Tournament... team posted a 36-8 record for the season... had 265 kills and an attacking percentage of .438 which would have led the nation but did not statistically qualify... added 78 blocks and 38 digs... earned Academic All-Region honors both years... HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Ethienne Jules Marey in Paris... Misc.: Broth Thibault Braunsteffer plays professional volleyball; for Spacer's in Toulouse, France...
Udell (Fullerton, Calif.) is a transfer from Iowa Western CC that began her collegiate career at Cal Baptist. JUNIOR COLLEGE: Was a member of Iowa Western CC volleyball program for three seasons... in 2023 was an All-Region selection appearing in 35 matches with 131 sets played... finished season ranked 7th in the NJCAA in total digs at 657 with a 5.02 digs per set average... had 12 matches with 20 or more digs and a high of 32 digs against Hutchinson CC... had 47 service aces for the season with a high of six against Western Nebraska... played in five matches during the 2022 season appearing in six sets... redshirted the 2021 season... CAL BAPTIST: Played one season at Cal Baptist (2020) appearing in four matches... had five digs with one service ace as the team played the 2020 COVID season in the spring of 2021... HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Whittier Christian High School... named team captain and MVP as a sophomore... named All-Region... played club with T-Street Volleyball...
Schroeder (Rockton, Ill.) is a transfer from Kent State playing two seasons and appearing in 18 matches. 2023 (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in 13 matches playing 30 sets during the 2023 season... finished season with 46 kills and a .207 attack percentage... had a season high 11 kills against Akron... added season high three blocks against Akron with seven blocks for the season... added 12 digs and one assist to season totals... 2022 (FRESHMAN): Appeared in five matches playing ten sets during the 2022 season... finished season with nine total kills with a season high five kills against Miami (Ohio)... had season high three blocks against Youngstown State... HIGH SCHOOL: Played volleyball at Hononegah High School... multiple All-NIC 10 Conference selection... led team to a IHSA Class 4A Regional Championship... played club for VC United...
