GREENSBORO – The pieces to the puzzle for a successful 2026 North Carolina A&T volleyball season are now in place. The schedule, full staff, and recruiting class are all but complete.

On Wednesday, Hal Clifton, the longest-tenured head volleyball coach in program history, announced four new players to the North Carolina A&T Aggies family. The Aggies' 2026 roster is virtually complete with three right-side hitters, one outside hitter, and a libero/defensive specialist. One of the newcomers also doubles as a setter.

THE CLASS
Kamryn Jackson (5-foot-11, Right Side, Oklahoma City, Okla., Deer Creek High School, Oklahoma Peak); Kirsten Kemper (5-11, setter/RS, Cincinnati, Ohio, Seton HS, Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club); Madison Curry (5-10, Outside Hitter, Lawrenceville, Ga., Archer HS, GA-A5 Volleyball Club);  Eden Eyassu (5-11, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Romeoville, Ill., Joliet West HS, Sports Performance); and Agata Zwierzynska (6-1, RS, Cerekwica, Poland, I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace w Szamotulach HS, Utah State Eastern) are the newest Aggies.

The Aggies have tremendous pieces returning to add to the impressive class, including two-time first-team All-Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) standout outside hitter Tyne Ross. They also return All-CAA freshman team performer Zariah Winton and senior Valeria Estrada, who returns for her fourth season as the Aggies libero/defensive specialist. Estrada is the only senior among the nine returning players.

"We are very excited about this class," Clifton said. "It brings in a group of young ladies that are all about being an Aggie. They are not just talented on the court but are outstanding academically. They represent the values we want in our players, and I'm looking forward to being with them in the fall."

KAMRYN AND KIRSTEN
Jackson has already joined the Aggies this spring as she gets acclimated to the collegiate game. She played 6A volleyball at Deer Creek High School, the largest competitive division governed by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA). Jackson led the Deer Creek Antlers to the Class 6A quarterfinals before losing to runner-up Edmond North in 2024. She was an All-Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference performer.

"Kamryn is going to bring a lot to our team offensively and defensively," said Clifton. "She has a nice strong arm and can hit with range. But I like her blocking on the right side. She is very coachable and is a talented young lady. She is explosive off the ground, and I'm excited to see how good she can be."

Kemper comes from a volleyball family with multiple aunts and cousins playing the sport collegiately and professionally. She could be vital in helping the Aggies replace All-CAA setter Leonora Polezzi. She can also play on the right side. As a senior at Seton High, Kemper averaged 6.57 assists and 2.14 digs per set and earned second-team All-Girls Greater Catholic League honors.

"Kirsten is a very talented setter coming in with a lot of high-level volleyball," said Clifton. "She has nice hands and very good location. She has the size at the net to block and to hit if needed. Kirsten brings a wealth of competition experience playing for her high school and (volleyball club)."

MADISON
Clifton described Curry as springy because of her tremendous leaping ability. As a senior at Lawrenceville HS, Curry averaged 3.39 kills per set and 2.62 digs per set. She ranked second in the Class 6A Area in total kills and kills per set. As a result, Curry secured Region Player of the Year and first-team All-Region honors in Region 4-AAAAAA.  

"Madison is a real fun player to watch," said Clifton. She loves the game and has a lot of fun playing it. One thing I like about Madison is that she doesn't shy away from big opportunities. She has the right mentality for a left-side hitter. It's going to be exciting to see how she contributes to the left side position."

EDEN AND AGATA
Eyassu is taller than a typical libero/defensive specialist, but she still has a nice touch on serve-receive. She posted 343 digs as a senior at Joliet West High School, averaging 4.45 digs per set. She also received 392 serves, made only 39 reception errors for a .901 serve-receive percentage, and had an amazing 282 service aces. She has also competed with the Aggies during the spring practice season.

"Eden has to be the happiest person I've ever met," Clifton said. Her personality is bright and cheerful. Don't let that fool you. Eden is all about business on the court. She competes so hard, which is one of the things I love about her. She really handles the ball well and has such a nice touch."

Zwierzynska spent two years at Utah State Eastern before coming to Aggieland. She is a high-volume, high-efficiency hitter who routinely produced excellent hitting percentages there. She posted a career-high 20 kills against North Idaho College and had 15 kills with a .391 hitting percentage in the NJCAA national quarterfinals against Florida Southwestern. She earned multiple Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) player of the week awards.

She had an outstanding prep career in Poland, including being named MVP of the Best Player of the Match at the Greater Poland Junior Finals in 2023.

"Agata is a player that we felt like would be able to compete right away and add some depth to our team," said Clifton. "She brings a lot of experience both as a collegian and international player. She has a fun and bright personality and will be an excellent addition to our program. She is so excited to be an Aggie and is really looking forward to joining the team in August."

NEW SEASON
The Aggies will play an exhibition match against Division II UNC Pembroke on Saturday, August 22 at 1 p.m. in Corbett Sports Center. The first match of the season is Friday, August 28 at 3 p.m. against Appalachian State as a part of a tournament hosted by UNC Charlotte at Halton Arena.