Months after making a return trip to the Sweet 16, the Cyclones are prepping for the upcoming season, returning 12 players from last year’s team.

The news got better for the ISU volleyball team Tuesday when it was announced the team’s recruiting class was ranked 16th in the country.

This gives the Cyclones their third straight season with a top 25 recruiting class.

“We are really excited to once again have a recruiting class that ranks among the top 25 in the nation,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch in a news release. “I think it’s a sign that our program is here to stay, and that we are committed to sustaining a great program over many years. All three of our incoming recruits are elite athletes who still have a ton of potential, so it’s exciting to think about what this group will be capable of in a few years.”

All three recruits will come to Iowa State playing at some of the deepest positions the Cyclones have. This may make it difficult for the trio to find much playing time but will just add to the depth the Cyclones will have heading into the season.

The Cyclones’ only top 40 ranked recruit was outside hitter Hannah Willms. With the Cyclones returning fellow outside hitters Rachel Hockaday, junior in marketing, and Victoria Henson, senior in communication studies, Willms adds more firepower to an already talented duo of outside hitters.

Middle blocker Tenisha Matlock, freshman in preparation for human medicine, will enter her inaugural season at Iowa State playing behind middle blocker Debbie Stadick, sophomore in English, and middle blocker Jamie Straube, sophomore in kinesiology and health.

Like Willms, Matlock may not start right away, but may be given the opportunity to contribute early and often.

Rounding out the recruiting class is defensive specialist/libero Kristen Hahn. With defensive specialist/libero Ashley Mass, junior in communication studies, entering the season as the starter, Hahn will join defensive specialist Caitlin Mahoney, junior in marketing, as Mass’ backup.

With the season getting closer, it remains to be seen how big of an impact the three recruits will have on the Cyclones next season.

But with Johnson-Lynch still coaching the Cyclones, the team has a reason to be optimistic. Under Johnson-Lynch, the Cyclones have seen players like former setter Kaylee Manns, senior in advertising, as well as current players such as Straube, Henson and Hockaday come in and make an immediate impact their freshman years.

Possibly the biggest news for the new recruits came this past March when Johnson-Lynch recently signed an extension.

This gives the trio of recruits the opportunity to learn under the 2009 AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year for the next four seasons.