Girls Varsity Volleyball
Team Overview
Gunn’s volleyball program made a resurgence in fall 2024 with the goal of fostering strong student-athletes who can take the lessons and skills learned on the court throughout their entire lives. The Frederick Gunn School Volleyball Program empowers its student-athletes to find success in all aspects of their lives at Gunn, not just within the volleyball team. The team competes in Class C of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) against some of the best competition New England volleyball has to offer.
Our Philosophy:
Through everything we do and accomplish as a team, The Frederick Gunn School Volleyball Program looks to create competitive opportunities and scenarios where developing student-athletes can practice the skills essential to help them thrive on and off the volleyball court. While physical skills central to volleyball are essential to the game, we focus on the cultivating and practicing of skills such as dedicated and focused hard work, effective communication with peers, strong team building, being an active and positive member of a community, and being a good person who is always learning as the competitive edge to our program.
Student-athletes who are interested in learning more about The Frederick Gunn School Volleyball Program are encouraged to contact Head Coach Cassie Ruscz, Ed.D, at rusczc@frederickgunn.org.
Meet the Coaches
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Assistant CoachSara Parish is a member of the Science Department faculty and coaches the Highlander X co-curricular program, which combines community service, outdoor education and fitness. Sara graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology. Prior to joining Gunn, she lived in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where she worked in healthcare and enjoyed the beach and doing lots of traveling. In her spare time, she currently enjoys hiking, reading, and watching hockey. Sara lives on campus with her orange cat, Freddy, who is named after Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins.
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Head CoachCassandra Ruscz, Ed.D., is the Director of Multicultural Recruitment and Associate Director of Admissions at The Frederick Gunn School. A graduate of the Taft School, Cassie majored in psychology and Spanish at Tufts University, where she was also an All-American and helped lead the Jumbos to back-to-back national championship titles in softball. Ruscz's softball achievements at Tufts were honored in 2024 as she was inducted into the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame. She holds a master's in education from the University of Delaware and also a doctorate of education from the University of South Carolina's College of Education. She published her dissertational studies in 2024 entitled "Fostering Empowered Leaders: Optimizing Leadership Development Programs for Adolescent Female Students". Cassie arrived at Gunn in 2017 as a member of the World Language faculty and has taught almost every level of Spanish at the school. She served as Director of Residential Life for two years and Prefect Advisor for six, before taking on her current role in the Admissions Office in July 2023. She is also the Head House Parent in Gibson House, Head Coach for Girls Varsity Volleyball, and the 2021 recipient of The Class of 1955 Distinguished Teaching Award.
Meet The Players
Varsity Volleyball
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Sheridan Bass2028Cheshire, CT
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Samuell Blackwood2027Woodbury, CT
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Morgan Brown (captain)2025Stamford, CT
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Annaliese Chavez2027Watertown, CT
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Clementine Fortier2028San Francisco, CA
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Kaitriona Githaka2027Pelham, NY
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Luisa Hoops2027Bad Homburg
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Olympia James2026Jackson Heights, NY
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Kelsey Ketchum2026Littleton, CO
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Samara Kinyanjui (captain)2027Taunton, MA
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Charlotte Kohler2027Sandy Hook, CT
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Isabella LaMothe2026Bristol, CT
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Callie Shao2028Kings Park, NY
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Xiaoyan Wang2027Northampton, MA
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Si Tong Wu2028Hong Kong