Northwestern University Athletics
Davis Announces Incoming 2016 Class
4/28/2016 3:40:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head coach Shane Davis has announced the signing of four new Wildcats to the Class of 2020. The class is Davis' first since taking the helm in December.
Allie Lindroth (Plainfield, Ill./ Plainfield North), Sarah Johnson (Pasadena, Calif./Mayfield), Emily Ehman (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South) and Olivia Viscuso (Arlington, Texas/ Lamar) will join the Wildcats for the 2016 season.
"We are excited to welcome four outstanding young women to the Northwestern family," Davis said. "Allie, Sarah, Emily and Olivia come to us from championship-level club programs and will make an immediate impact in our program. They will add depth to our roster, create competition in our gym and be outstanding contributors to the Northwestern community at-large.
"We are thankful to have the opportunity to welcome these student-athletes and their families into the Wildcat family."
Lindroth tallied 565 kills, 259 digs and 17 aces while captaining Plainfield North during her senior season, a year after serving a career-high 32 aces in her junior campaign. The three-time all conference honoree also won a pair of national championships with her club team.
"Allie is an outside hitter that will make an immediate impact," Davis said. "She has a high volleyball IQ and is a strong competitor. She knows what it takes to win and will help us build a winning culture at Northwestern."
Johnson is a talented libero who racked up accolades in California. She was named the 2013 Pasadena Star News libero of the year and was a two-time All-League, All-Area and All-State player.
"Sarah will play an important role in the libero position, as we graduate two ball-control players," Davis said. "We will look to Sarah to make an impact in our serve receive system and backcourt defense."
Ehman is the owner of 833 career kills in high school. The hitter and defensive specialist captained the Bloomington South Panthers for the last two seasons, leading the team in kills both seasons and in aces as a senior. She was also a four-year letter winner in track and field, where she ran hurdle events and long and high jumped. She was named First-Team All-Area by the Bloomington Herald Times in 2015.
"Emily is a gifted athlete that is transitioning from outside hitter to libero," Davis said. "We will look to her to play multiple roles on our team because she has a competitive attitude and a natural ability to read the game."
Viscuso is a talented middle blocker, who racked up 528 kills with a .408 hitting percentage in her senior season. After her accomplished year, the National Merit Scholar was named the Texas District 4-6A Utility Player of the Year, made the TGCA 6A All-State Team, and was named the Wendy's High School Heisman winner.
"Olivia will add depth to the middle blocker position and push our veteran middles with her quickness and range as an attacker," Davis said.
Complete bios on the four signees are below.
Allie Lindroth
6'2
Plainfield, Ill. // Plainfield North
High School: Played volleyball all four years and was team captain … Posted career highs of 565 kills, 259 digs and 72 blocks her senior season … Served 77 career aces … Named All-Conference in 2013, 2015 and 2016 ... Named All-Tournament at the PNHS Tourney, Mizuno Cup, and Wheaton Classic … Two-time national champion with her club team, Sports Performance … National Honor Society member … Made High Honor roll as a sophomore and junior.
Personal: Daughter of Sandie Demierre and Mark Lindroth … Related to Catherine Lindroth, who played four years of varsity field hockey at Yale … Played against current Northwestern freshman Rachel Fara … Anticipated major is Human Development and Psychological Services.
Sarah Johnson
5'7
Pasadena, Calif. // Mayfield
High School: All-State player in California's Div. II in 2013 and 2014 … All-Area 2013 and 2014 … First Team All-League 2013 and 2014 … Pasadena Star News Libero of the Year in 2013 … Two-time team MVP … Two-year captain … Twice named MaxPreps "Player of the Match" … Holds school record for most digs in a four-set match … Competed in the Private vs. Public all-star game in both 2013 and 2014 … Team was Prep League champions in consecutive years … 2014 state runner-up … Tallied 1,465 digs, 247 kills and 127 aces in her career … Competed for San Gabriel Elite club team for six years … Club qualified for USA Volleyball junior nationals three times … National Honor Society member.
Personal: Daughter of Katherine and Paul Johnson … Sister, Natalie, plays volleyball at Notre Dame … Dad went to graduate school at Northwestern … Anticipated major at Northwestern is Economics.
Emily Ehman
5'8
Bloomington, Ind. // Bloomington South
High School: 833 kills, 179 aces, 589 digs and a .342 kill percentage for her career … Led the team in kills in 2014 and 2015, as well as aces in 2015 … Named Bloomington Herald-Times Volleyball Player of the Year in 2015 … Earned Volleyball Academic All-State, BHSS Volleyball MVP, Herald Times First-Team All-Area and First-Team All-Conference accolades in 2015 … Also ran track and field and was selected Herald Times First-Team All-Area, as well as BHSS Track and Field "Best in Field" in 2015 … Made Honor Roll every semester … Member of National Honor Society and "Leaders of Tomorrow" … 2016 Herald Times Scholastic Gold Star Honoree.
Personal: Daughter of Jackie Dakich Ehman and Jeff Ehman … Uncle Dan Dakich played basketball at Indiana from 1981-85, coached collegiately at Indiana and Bowling Green from 1995-2007 and now broadcasts college basketball for ESPN … Cousin Andrew Dakich plays basketball at Michigan.
Olivia Viscuso
6'
Arlington, Texas // Lamar
High School: Played volleyball four years, earning three letters … Hit .408 her senior season, posting 528 of her 700 career kills ... Named Texas District 4-6A Utility player of the year as a junior, while being named LHS Offensive Player of the Year and Academic All-District both junior and senior seasons … Also named District 4-6A MVP, LHS Defensive Player of the Year, TGCA 6A All-State and Academic All-State her senior year … Was named MVP of Arlington Invitational in 2015, leading her team to a first-place finish … Club team, TAV 18 Blue, finished third at the 2014 GJNC USA, and she was named to the All-Tournament team … Team recorded ninth place finishes in 2013 and 2015 … Member of Latin, Science and National Honor Societies, National Society of High School Scholars, Mu Alpha Theta, National Hispanic Recognition Program … National Merit Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Angie and Marc Viscuso … Father Marc wrestled at Virginia … Anticipated Major is Biological Sciences.
Allie Lindroth (Plainfield, Ill./ Plainfield North), Sarah Johnson (Pasadena, Calif./Mayfield), Emily Ehman (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South) and Olivia Viscuso (Arlington, Texas/ Lamar) will join the Wildcats for the 2016 season.
"We are excited to welcome four outstanding young women to the Northwestern family," Davis said. "Allie, Sarah, Emily and Olivia come to us from championship-level club programs and will make an immediate impact in our program. They will add depth to our roster, create competition in our gym and be outstanding contributors to the Northwestern community at-large.
"We are thankful to have the opportunity to welcome these student-athletes and their families into the Wildcat family."
Lindroth tallied 565 kills, 259 digs and 17 aces while captaining Plainfield North during her senior season, a year after serving a career-high 32 aces in her junior campaign. The three-time all conference honoree also won a pair of national championships with her club team.
"Allie is an outside hitter that will make an immediate impact," Davis said. "She has a high volleyball IQ and is a strong competitor. She knows what it takes to win and will help us build a winning culture at Northwestern."
Johnson is a talented libero who racked up accolades in California. She was named the 2013 Pasadena Star News libero of the year and was a two-time All-League, All-Area and All-State player.
"Sarah will play an important role in the libero position, as we graduate two ball-control players," Davis said. "We will look to Sarah to make an impact in our serve receive system and backcourt defense."
Ehman is the owner of 833 career kills in high school. The hitter and defensive specialist captained the Bloomington South Panthers for the last two seasons, leading the team in kills both seasons and in aces as a senior. She was also a four-year letter winner in track and field, where she ran hurdle events and long and high jumped. She was named First-Team All-Area by the Bloomington Herald Times in 2015.
"Emily is a gifted athlete that is transitioning from outside hitter to libero," Davis said. "We will look to her to play multiple roles on our team because she has a competitive attitude and a natural ability to read the game."
Viscuso is a talented middle blocker, who racked up 528 kills with a .408 hitting percentage in her senior season. After her accomplished year, the National Merit Scholar was named the Texas District 4-6A Utility Player of the Year, made the TGCA 6A All-State Team, and was named the Wendy's High School Heisman winner.
"Olivia will add depth to the middle blocker position and push our veteran middles with her quickness and range as an attacker," Davis said.
Complete bios on the four signees are below.
Allie Lindroth
6'2
Plainfield, Ill. // Plainfield North
High School: Played volleyball all four years and was team captain … Posted career highs of 565 kills, 259 digs and 72 blocks her senior season … Served 77 career aces … Named All-Conference in 2013, 2015 and 2016 ... Named All-Tournament at the PNHS Tourney, Mizuno Cup, and Wheaton Classic … Two-time national champion with her club team, Sports Performance … National Honor Society member … Made High Honor roll as a sophomore and junior.
Personal: Daughter of Sandie Demierre and Mark Lindroth … Related to Catherine Lindroth, who played four years of varsity field hockey at Yale … Played against current Northwestern freshman Rachel Fara … Anticipated major is Human Development and Psychological Services.
Sarah Johnson
5'7
Pasadena, Calif. // Mayfield
High School: All-State player in California's Div. II in 2013 and 2014 … All-Area 2013 and 2014 … First Team All-League 2013 and 2014 … Pasadena Star News Libero of the Year in 2013 … Two-time team MVP … Two-year captain … Twice named MaxPreps "Player of the Match" … Holds school record for most digs in a four-set match … Competed in the Private vs. Public all-star game in both 2013 and 2014 … Team was Prep League champions in consecutive years … 2014 state runner-up … Tallied 1,465 digs, 247 kills and 127 aces in her career … Competed for San Gabriel Elite club team for six years … Club qualified for USA Volleyball junior nationals three times … National Honor Society member.
Personal: Daughter of Katherine and Paul Johnson … Sister, Natalie, plays volleyball at Notre Dame … Dad went to graduate school at Northwestern … Anticipated major at Northwestern is Economics.
Emily Ehman
5'8
Bloomington, Ind. // Bloomington South
High School: 833 kills, 179 aces, 589 digs and a .342 kill percentage for her career … Led the team in kills in 2014 and 2015, as well as aces in 2015 … Named Bloomington Herald-Times Volleyball Player of the Year in 2015 … Earned Volleyball Academic All-State, BHSS Volleyball MVP, Herald Times First-Team All-Area and First-Team All-Conference accolades in 2015 … Also ran track and field and was selected Herald Times First-Team All-Area, as well as BHSS Track and Field "Best in Field" in 2015 … Made Honor Roll every semester … Member of National Honor Society and "Leaders of Tomorrow" … 2016 Herald Times Scholastic Gold Star Honoree.
Personal: Daughter of Jackie Dakich Ehman and Jeff Ehman … Uncle Dan Dakich played basketball at Indiana from 1981-85, coached collegiately at Indiana and Bowling Green from 1995-2007 and now broadcasts college basketball for ESPN … Cousin Andrew Dakich plays basketball at Michigan.
Olivia Viscuso
6'
Arlington, Texas // Lamar
High School: Played volleyball four years, earning three letters … Hit .408 her senior season, posting 528 of her 700 career kills ... Named Texas District 4-6A Utility player of the year as a junior, while being named LHS Offensive Player of the Year and Academic All-District both junior and senior seasons … Also named District 4-6A MVP, LHS Defensive Player of the Year, TGCA 6A All-State and Academic All-State her senior year … Was named MVP of Arlington Invitational in 2015, leading her team to a first-place finish … Club team, TAV 18 Blue, finished third at the 2014 GJNC USA, and she was named to the All-Tournament team … Team recorded ninth place finishes in 2013 and 2015 … Member of Latin, Science and National Honor Societies, National Society of High School Scholars, Mu Alpha Theta, National Hispanic Recognition Program … National Merit Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Angie and Marc Viscuso … Father Marc wrestled at Virginia … Anticipated Major is Biological Sciences.
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