LAS CRUCES, N.M. – In the nearly 250 days eclipsed since Nov. 24, 2024, NM State Volleyball Head Coach Mike Jordan has been hard at work prepping for another shot at glory in 2025. After bringing in two assistant coaches and Jaelynn Kohli during the spring, the Aggie roster was rejuvenated ahead of summer workouts. Six new student-athletes are set to debut for the Crimson & White next month, including two transfers and a quartet of true freshman. 
 
In total, the newcomers consist of two middle blockers, a pair of outside hitters, one setter and a defensive specialist. The four front-row additions boast an average height of 6-foot-3, including two that would have been the tallest on the 2024 roster. The four freshmen include two New Mexico natives, a Texan and a Canadian.
 
(#77) Zoe Ziegler | Jr. | Outside Hitter | 6-6 | Cypress CC | Pacoima, Calif.
As the tallest Aggie in at least two decades, Zoe Ziegler brings size that simply cannot be taught to the front row. The Cypress Community College transfer appeared in 51 matches, tallying 2.70 kills per set and a career hitting percentage of .306. Last season, she recorded 284 kills and 100 total blocks, doubling the next closest Charger as she averaged 1.18 rejections per set. On Sept. 6-7, she led the team with 35 kills and 18 blocks across three matches. In a bout against San Diego Miramar, Ziegler dominated with five blocks and 14 kills on 17 swings without an error en route to a sweep.
 
(#9) Katie Funk | Jr. | Middle Blocker | 5-11 | Tyler JC | Shreveport, La.
Following two seasons with Tyler Junior College, Katie Funk headed west to learn from Jordan and assistant Lia Mosher in hopes of continuing a long line of exceptional Aggie middle blockers. The Louisiana native made her mark with the Apaches, tallying 160 kills and 137 blocks. In 2024, she added eight aces, including five on Sept. 7 against Amarillo College. Funk is set to join the group of 2025 middle blockers that boasts Mia Fox as the lone returner. 
 
(#11) Jaelynn Kohli | Fr. | Outside Hitter | 6-3 | Eastlake HS | El Paso, Texas
Kohli was the first option for the Eastlake offense all fall, leading her team to the UIL 6A Division I Texas Regional Semifinals for the first time. The fourth-year star paced the Falcons in kills (564), kills per set (5.08), hitting percentage (.365), blocks (53), solo blocks (14) and blocks per set (0.47). Kohli drove her squad to the school's first-ever two-win postseason in history, advancing to the Regional Semifinals before falling to Allen. For the spring semester, she joined the Crimson & White for practice after graduating high school early. Read her release [here].
 
(#14) Mia Mendoza | Fr. | Setter | 5-8 | Los Lunas HS | Los Lunas, N.M.
Mia Mendoza joins the 2025 roster as one of two freshmen from the Land of Enchantment. The Los Lunas product will begin her collegiate career this fall after four seasons as a starter for the Tigers. Mendoza tallied 2,962 career assists, including a career-high 808 as a junior. Across 323 sets played, she averaged 9.2 assists, 2.9 digs and 0.49 aces per frame. Additionally, the New Mexico native posted 364 kills with a .219 hitting percentage over four seasons. Last fall, the squad advanced to the semifinals of the NMAA 5A State Playoffs.
 
(#16) Kate Sinclair | Fr. | Middle Blocker | 6-4 | Ernest Manning HS | Calgary, Alberta
Rounding out the middle blocker rotation is true freshman Kate Sinclair. The lone international product on the roster hails from Calgary, making her the first Canadian on Jordan's club in five years. In 2024, she competed with her nation's National Excellence Program. Sinclair, alongside Ziegler, completes a duo that stands nearly 13 combined feet tall at the net. Competing with Team Alberta, she went on to claim a fifth-place finish at the 2023 Canada Cup. 
 
(#17) Jazlyn Vasquez | Fr. | Libero | 5-9 | Centennial HS | Las Cruces, N.M.
From just 3.1 miles away, Jazlyn Vasquez caught the attention of Mike Jordan, leading Centennial High School from the back row. The senior paced the team with 267 receptions in 2024, racking up 254 digs (3.53 per set) along the way. At the net, Vasquez posted 132 kills and 28 total blocks, ranking among the team's top four in each category. Finally, the defensive specialist tallied 23 aces, including 14 in district play. The Hawks made two trips to the NMAA 5A State Playoffs during Vasquez's high school career, including a run to the quarterfinals in 2022. That fall, she played alongside Bella Castro and Tess Fuqua; two teammates she is set to reunite with on the floor next month.
 
Who They Join
This fall's unit will be spearheaded by 13 returners, including a quartet of senior setters. Nellie Reese started all but one match a season ago, landing a team-high 678 assists. The returning crop combined for 250 kills a season ago, accounting for just 15.7% of all 2024 production. Ashley Herman's 164 kills rank highest among the bunch after appearing in 29 of 33 matches. The back row will boast a trio of returning defensive specialists in Bella Castro, Makayla Martinez and Kaylee Peterson. The grouping combined for 186 digs, 269 receptions and 33 aces a season ago. 
 
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