Marquette Volleyball signs Clifford, Kenny and Long

MILWAUKEE – Marquette University head women’s volleyball coach Ryan Theis has announced the addition of three student-athletes for the fall of 2024 in middle blocker Meghan Clifford (Fairport, New York) and setter/right-side hitter Calli Kenny (Villa Park, Illinois) and setter Malayah Long (Lincoln, Nebraska).

“This group has a great combination of skill, size, competitiveness and knows how to win,” Theis said. “They each led their team to deep state tournament runs this fall and we are excited to add them in the gym.”

Clifford and Long led their high school teams to state titles this season in New York and Nebraska, respectively, while Kenny’s squad placed third in Illinois.

Clifford is a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Fairport, New York where she played for head coach Trish Forgensi at Fairport High School. She was a four-year letter winner with the Red Raders and a two-time team captain.

Clifford reached 1,000 career kills this season on her way to first team all-state and all-tournament team honors. She is a two-time Greater Rochester Player of the Year and was named Section I Class AA/AAA Most Valuable Player as both a junior and senior, while leading Fairport to consecutive sectional crowns.

“Meghan is a physical player and her strength and size are valuable additions for us at the net,” Theis said. “Meghan will need a year to catch up to the speed of our game, but she is a big part of our future. She reminds me of a bigger version of Hattie Bray.”

She played club for VolleyFX under Tara Jehlen and was regarded by PrepVolleyball and the AVCA Phenom Watch List as one of the top recruits in the high school class of 2024.

Kenny, standing 5-foot-9, played all over the court during her four seasons at Willowbrook High School under Irene Mason before settling into a 6-2 setter/right-side hitter role as a senior.

The three-time team captain led the Warriors to a 40-2 record and third-place finish in the IHSA 4A tournament in 2023 and won conference, regional, sectional and super-sectional titles. Kenny led Willowbrook to an unprecedented run off success during her career, winning the school’s first sectional title in program history as a sophomore as well as four conference crowns and three regional championships.

“Calli is an elite competitor and versatile athlete who has set, hit and added the libero position to her game this year,” Theis said. “Her club and high school teams are in the mix for state and national championships each year because of her ability to help a team win.”

As a senior, Kenny posted a single-season school record 104 service aces along with 318 kills, 399 assists and 234 digs. She also holds a single-season Willowbrook record for kills (321) and career marks for kills (1,003) and aces (262).

The No. 4 recruit in the state of Illinois according to Prep Dig was an Illinois Prep Volleyball First Team All-State selection as a junior and senior, and the 2023 Suburban Life Girls Volleyball Player of the Year. She played club volleyball with a 1st Alliance Gold squad under head coach Meghan Keck that has nine players committed to NCAA Division I programs.

Long capped a decorated prep career by leading Lincoln Southwest High School to its first Nebraska Class A Championship in 2023 and earning VBallRecruiter.com’s National Senior Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1 setter was named the tournament’s most valuable player and a captain of the Omaha World Herald All-Nebraska First Team and Lincoln Journal Star Super State First Team.

The two-time team captain and all-state performer led the Silverhawks, under head coach Jessica Kirkendall, to four district and three Heartland Athletic Conference championships.

“Malayah is a standout setter who has run different offenses in club and high school volleyball,” Theis said. “She has an unbelievable passion to be the best player she can be.”

Long recorded a school-record 1,067 career assists at Lincoln Southwest and holds program records for most assists per set and in a single season. She also ranks in the top-10 on the school’s career aces list.

During her club career, Long earned MVP honors while claiming an AAU 15 Open National Championship and JVA All-National Team recognition. She was a team captain for VCNebraska’s 18 Elite squad under head coach Blake Rawlins and is the No. 4 recruit in the state Nebraska according to Prep Dig.

The three signees will join a Marquette team that claimed a share of its third consecutive BIG EAST Conference regular season title in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship. The Golden Eagles are set to return all six starters from this season but must replace libero Sarah Kushner, who used her final season of eligibility this fall.

Keep up with the Marquette University women’s volleyball program through social media by following on X (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and ‘liking’ on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).

Mentioned in This Press Release