VUVB adds size with signing of local middle blocker

VINCENNES, Ind. – The four-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University Volleyball team continues to add size with their latest signing of six-foot two middle blocker Taryn Thuis.

"Well, we have another student who first communicated with us of their interest well over a year ago," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "Taryn's got State Championship experience, having played in the State Finals her sophomore year and is coming from a program that has had great success here lately. If you define local as being within an hour from Vincennes, Linton is probably in the top two or three local programs that have had major success since I've been here. We're always looking to get kids from that program just because of the level of success they have had on the court."

Thuis comes to Vincennes University after an outstanding high school career at Linton-Stockton High School in nearby Linton, Ind. and also played for the Tier 10 volleyball club team.

Thuis helped guide the Miners to a 23-11 record this past season, with a total of 209 kills, 74 blocks, 15 digs and seven set assists.

Thuis led the Miners to four Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference Championships during her time with the Miners, with her senior class finishing with a record of 28-0 in conference games during their careers and Thuis earning 2024 All-Conference honors.

Thuis won three IHSAA Class 2A Sectional Championships at Linton and was a key contributor to the Miners team that made it to the State Championship game in 2022.

Linton set program records with 52 straight sets won and a 24 match winning streak in 2023 as well.

Thuis' accomplishments don't just end at the volleyball court either, with Taryn being named three times to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Team Academic Award and earning Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association Academic All-State honors this past season.

"You can't buy that moment of playing at Ball State University in the State Finals," Sien added. "Once you do that, you should just about be ready for anything you are going to face after that. Having that level of experience is going to be big. At a certain point the teams on the court are going to be pretty even skill wise and it's going to come down to the intangibles and the experience on the court."

"Of course we like the length and height that Taryn brings," Sien said. "As the saying goes, you can't teach height. She's able to play a couple of positions, either middle or right side. If she is able to play that right side, I would really like to get that going because we have openings just about everywhere on the front row at the moment. There are things, obviously, that we need to work on in terms of technique, foot work and speed but she's got the potential to do that."

"We've found that any team that plays at the highest level possible not only needs a good block in the middle but has to have a strong right side block as well," Sien added. "If you are able to stop the other teams outside hitter, you are probably going to win. So that might be a position we see her in."

Taryn is the daughter of Brock and Jerrie Thuis and plans to major in Legal Studies at Vincennes University.

"Taryn is the third player from Linton-Stockton over the last six years to sign with Vincennes University," Linton High School Coach Scott Vanderkolk said. "We are beyond proud of the player that she has become over the past four seasons. Start o finish, she might be one of the most improved players we've had."

"During her sophomore season, she was a key factor in our Semi-State Championship match," Vanderkolk added. "Her improvement and growth from that point on was exponential. I believe that she will be a great addition to the VU team and has a bunch of untapped potential that Coach Sien and his staff will be able to bring out of her and continue her growth as a player and as a person."

"She's a great kid with a fun personality which we look forward to seeing the fantastic adult she will become beyond her college experiences," Vanderkolk said.

"The biggest thing that we have, as well as just about every other program at VU has, it the ability to recruit Indiana kids," Sien said. "We are looking at a number of kids from Indiana for the 2025 recruiting class and to have two signed already who are in the top 70 seniors in Indiana (Prep Dig Indiana) will help gain interest from other Indiana students."

"We are also looking to continue recruiting students here that fit a certain mold," Sien added. "We're not in a hurry to recruit. There are some years that we are done earlier than others, but we're not in a hurry to sign just anybody. We obviously want to be able to recruit the right type of students here. The students who are going to buy in to the program whole heartedly and are going to be serious about what they want to do with their lives and use the opportunity to come here to get another great opportunity afterwards."

"One thing about Kenli and Taryn, Kenli is going into the Technology degree for Business and she's already taken classes that will help her complete that," Sien said. "Taryn will be the same way as she plans to study Legal Studies. She one day wants to be a prosecuting attorney. I'm just as happy about hearing their academic plans for their lives as I am for their volleyball background experience. Because when you have goals set for the future, that means you are motivated, mature and those are the types of people that we like to recruit."

"When people objectively look at our school not just for the athletic side but the academics and realize it's not just a 'JuCo' they should have a pretty good idea of how high the academics are here," Sien added. "Then looking at the athletics side, seeing that we coach the program as a next level program, to be like at Division I program so when they one day transfer to play DI they've already faced it here. It shouldn't be a hard sell if people objectively look at Vincennes University both in terms of our athletics and our academics and these two, Kenli and Taryn, have done that."

"We look for Taryn to be a huge presence on the net in her blocking and offense, of course," Sien said. "We see her as well as someone who will help keep things together amid the most critical moments of a match."

Thuis is joining a Trailblazer squad coming off a 30-13 season, securing VU's fourth straight NJCAA Division I Region 24 Championship and an 18-3 record against Region 24 opponents.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department is excited to welcome Taryn Thuis to the 2025 Trailblazer recruiting class.