Fresh off a bronze medal finish at the 2017 OCAA Championship the Niagara College women's volleyball program is proud to announce the addition of Hamilton native Melissa McFadden. McFadden joins the Knights from Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School, and the powerhouse Mountain Volleyball Club.

The five-foot-ten McFadden has the ability to play both the setter and rightside positions for the Knights. She joins her MVC teammates Nastasha Desjardins and Tyler Garrick as Niagara College women's volleyball recruiting commits for the upcoming 2017-18 season.

"Melissa McFadden has massive untapped potential to be a great setter" said Niagara College women's volleyball head coach Nathan Janzen. "Every time I've watched her play, she shows steady improvement and she isn't afraid to take risk."

McFadden committed to Niagara College at a letter of intent signing and photo opportunity at the Welland campus athletic centre during the Knights recent playoff run. She plans on enrolling in the Niagara College pre-health sciences program beginning in September.

"I have always wanted to go to Niagara College" said McFadden. "Niagara has beautiful facilities available to their students and the sports teams have a real family feel to them. To know you have someone by your side at all times definitely makes one feel at home. Personally, I felt a strong connection with the women's volleyball team."

The versatility that McFadden will bring to the Knights features prominently in Janzen's long term plans for continuing to build the Knights into a perennial national contender.

"Natasha and Melissa play a 6-2 with their club team, meaning they both set and hit in different rotations" continued Janzen. "To have them sign together immediately improves our volleyball team in almost every position."

The bronze medal finish at the 2017 OCAA Championship was the Knights' third consecutive podium finish. McFadden will join a team that enjoyed a fantastic 2016-17 season finishing with 15 wins, having three players named OCAA all-stars, and having Jordan Koslowski (a fellow Hamilton native and MVC alumni) named the Knights first every women's volleyball CCAA All-Canadian.

Added McFadden "I want to expand my knowledge of volleyball at a higher level of play, but also enjoy the experience of playing post-secondary. I'm also looking to push myself to train hard both on the court and in the gym."