Women’s Volleyball Welcomes Four For Class of 2028
4/25/2024
The Princeton University women’s volleyball team will welcome four talented newcomers as its Class of 2028, as announced by Head Coach Sabrina King Thursday.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the class of 2028,” said King. “These four athletes have all played at the highest level in their club and high school careers and will help build on our winning tradition. We have a strong returning group, and these four will only raise the play in our gym with competitiveness and physicality.”
The Tigers welcome Sylvia Bunde, Ashley Duckworth, Ashtyn Sims and Jackie Onyechi. The quartet joins rising juniors Gracie Wood, Shelby Fulton and Mariah Haislip, rising sophomores Valerie Nutakor, Lucia Scalamandre and Ella Bunde along with rising freshmen Sydney Bold, Kamryn Chaney, Ava Harrington, Erin McNair & Sydney Draper.
Sylvia Bunde | DS/Libero
Height: 5’6’’
Hometown: Leawood, Kansas
High School: Shawnee Mission East
Before Princeton: Led Sunflower league in aces in 2022 … ranked in Prep Dig’s Top Kansas City Defenders … Honorable mention All-Sunflower League … club team Pohaku went 18-1 and was ranked #7 in nation … 2023 varsity volleyball captain … member of National Honors Society … member of SHARE … received the President’s Award for Academic Excellence
Personal: Daughter of Mark Bunde (played basketball at Cornell College) and Patty Bunde … sister of Ella Bunde, who is a member of the Princeton women’s volleyball team
From The Coach: “Sylvia will help us lock down our passing and defense. She can play any defensive position on the court and works hard to cover her hitters. She is a spark plug that we are excited to have on the court.”
Ashley Duckworth | Middle Blocker
Height: 6’1’’
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
High School: Bishop Gorman
Before Princeton: Played for the Vegas Aces … 2023 Nevada State Champion 5A … Class of 2024 Top 150 Players (Ranked #69 Overall) by Prep Volleyball … 3x Under Armor next (2021-2024) … 2x First Team All-Conference (5A - Mountain League, 2021-2022) … 2x First Team All-Southern Nevada (2021-2022) … 2x First Team All-Nevada (2021-2022) … 2022 stats included 287 kills (#7 in 5A), kill percentage of 53.0% (#1 in 5A), 43.0 hitting percentage (#1 in 5A) and 143 blocks (#1 in 5A) … Class of 2024 Top 150 Players (Ranked #37 Overall and #8 Middle Blocker) by PrepVolleyball … Class of 2024 - Ranked #25 by PrepDig … 2022 Female Rising Star nominee - Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards … PrepVolleyball’s (PVB’s) Player of the Year Finalist (Class of 2024) … Class of 2024 Top 150 Players (Ranked #18) by PrepVolleyball … 2021 Nevada State Champion - 5A (Bishop Gorman 31-6 Overall, 8-0 Conference) … 200 Kills, Kill percentage of 58.1%, Hitting 50.3%, Played in all 107 sets … Nevada High School Individual Season Record - Most Blocks (250) (5A Record & All Class Record, 37 Games) … #2 in Blocks for the season (MaxPreps) … Scholar-Athlete Award 2021-2024 … National Honor Society … 4x Scholar-Athlete Award (2021-2024) … Principal List 2024
Personal: Daughter of Cary and Tiffany Duckworth … has one sister, Olivia Duckworth
From The Coach: “Ashley is a fantastic offensive and defensive middle. She is a physical presence and moves around the court with ease. I love her upside, ability to read the game, and aggressiveness on the court.”
Ashtyn Sims | Outside Hitter
Height: 6’0’’
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
High School: Windermere
Before Princeton: AAU All American … HP Florida Region Starter three-straight years … 2x UA All-American All Star nominee … FHSAA 7A State Championship runner up … FHSAA 7A Regional Champions … 2x FHSAA 7A District Champions (2020, 2021) … Pre-Law Club member … Fellowship of Christian Athletes member … Creative Writing Award for UCF’s Theatre Program … Principal’s All Academic Honor Roll 2020-Current … First Place Film and Video Production for Florida Fright Fest … NHS Member … Orange County Super Scholar Program
Personal: Daughter of Crystal Davidson (played basketball at Auburn) and Alandus Sims (played football at Georgia State) … has a sister, Alexis Gosha, who played volleyball at FAMU
From The Coach: “Ashtyn is just getting started as a powerhouse hitter. She has a big arm and has been expanding her finesse game. We look to her to make contributions early as a pin for us.”
Jackie Onyechi | Middle Blocker
Height: 5’10’’
Hometown: Richmond, Texas
High School: Foster
Before Princeton: 2023 GHVCA Pre-Season Watch List … AVCA Best and Brightest First Team … 2023-24 TGCA Volleyball Academic All-State … 2023-24 TGCA Volleyball All-State … AVCA All America Watch List … 2023 District 20-5A Blocker of the Year … Foster HS MVP, Kill Leader, and Block Leader … 2023 GHVCA Post-Season Team … District 20-5A Academic All-District … 2023 GHVCA Post- Season Academic Team … 2022 District 20-5A Offensive Player of the Year … District 20-5A Academic All District … 2022 GHVCA Pre Season Team … TGCA All-State Team … FHS Kill Leader … FHS Block Leader … FHS MVP … 2022 GHVCA Post-Season Team … AVCA Phenom Underclassmen Watch List … GHVCA All-Academic Team … TSWA All-State Honorable Mention Middle Blocker … 2021 GHVCA Post Season Team … AVCA Phenom Underclassmen Watch List … AustinTGCA 2021 5A All-State Team … FHS Kill Leader … FHS Block Leader … Prep Volleyball All American Special Mention … GHVCA All-Academic Team … District 24-5A Academic All District … District 24-5A All-District Blocker of the Year … District 24-5A 1st Team All-District … TAVC Academic All-State … member of National Honor Society … member College Board National African American Recognition Program … 2021 AP Human Geography Student of the Year
Personal: Has two brothers, Kenny Onyechi (played basketball at LIU) and Jacob Onyechi (played football at Air Force)
From The Coach: “Jackie gets better every time I see her play. Her vertical is impressive, and she works hard on transition to make herself available offensively. I’m looking forward to seeing her work with our setters and being a wall of a blocker.”
