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Jayhawks Add Former Kansas Player of the Year Reese Messer
5/21/2026 10:01:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball coach Matt Ulmer announced today that 2024-25 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year Reese Messer has signed to join the Jayhawks for the 2026 season after playing her freshman year at USC.
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Originally from Olathe, Kansas, Messer attended Saint James Academy and led the Thunder to a 32-7 record and Class 5A state semifinal appearance as a senior in 2024. She was named the 2024 Kansas Class 5A Volleyball Player of the Year and earned All-America first team honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), while being chosen as a finalist for AVCA Girls High School Player of the Year. She also led Saint James Academy to a state runner-up finish in 2022.
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"We are very excited to welcome Reese home," Ulmer said. "She is an elite competitor and makes our gym better. She has high expectations for herself and the program. We can't wait to get to work."
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As a freshman at USC, Messer was an All-Big Ten first team selection and earned AVCA All-Pacific Region Team honors. She was a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week (Nov. 3, Dec. 1) and a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Sept. 22, Oct. 27) recipient. Messer totaled 1,261 assists, which ranked second in the league, and she was eighth nationally with 10.78 assists per set. She was one of two USC players to have played in every set for the Trojans, totaling 267 digs, 75 kills, 75 blocks and 15 service aces for a total of 131.0 points scored. Messer recorded 11 double-doubles and directed USC's offense to 11 matches of hitting .300 or better.
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Messer is the second transfer signed by the Jayhawks for 2026, joining junior libero Olivia Hasbrook of Eureka, Missouri, who transferred from Ohio State for the spring semester. The two transfers come to Kansas in addition to a six-player high school recruiting class that features Cydnee Bryant (Riverside, Calif.), Tessa Dodd (Laramie, Wyo.), Avery Poulton (Bountiful, Utah), Jaeli Rutledge (Webb City, Mo.), Ryan Sadler (Atlanta, Ga.) and Taylor Stanley (Overland Park, Kan.).
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Kansas volleyball opens the 2026 season on Aug. 28-30 at the Opening Spike Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa., where the Jayhawks will face Pittsburgh and Stanford. KU will play its first of 14 home games on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena against Wichita State.
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Originally from Olathe, Kansas, Messer attended Saint James Academy and led the Thunder to a 32-7 record and Class 5A state semifinal appearance as a senior in 2024. She was named the 2024 Kansas Class 5A Volleyball Player of the Year and earned All-America first team honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), while being chosen as a finalist for AVCA Girls High School Player of the Year. She also led Saint James Academy to a state runner-up finish in 2022.
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"We are very excited to welcome Reese home," Ulmer said. "She is an elite competitor and makes our gym better. She has high expectations for herself and the program. We can't wait to get to work."
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As a freshman at USC, Messer was an All-Big Ten first team selection and earned AVCA All-Pacific Region Team honors. She was a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Week (Nov. 3, Dec. 1) and a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Sept. 22, Oct. 27) recipient. Messer totaled 1,261 assists, which ranked second in the league, and she was eighth nationally with 10.78 assists per set. She was one of two USC players to have played in every set for the Trojans, totaling 267 digs, 75 kills, 75 blocks and 15 service aces for a total of 131.0 points scored. Messer recorded 11 double-doubles and directed USC's offense to 11 matches of hitting .300 or better.
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Messer is the second transfer signed by the Jayhawks for 2026, joining junior libero Olivia Hasbrook of Eureka, Missouri, who transferred from Ohio State for the spring semester. The two transfers come to Kansas in addition to a six-player high school recruiting class that features Cydnee Bryant (Riverside, Calif.), Tessa Dodd (Laramie, Wyo.), Avery Poulton (Bountiful, Utah), Jaeli Rutledge (Webb City, Mo.), Ryan Sadler (Atlanta, Ga.) and Taylor Stanley (Overland Park, Kan.).
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Kansas volleyball opens the 2026 season on Aug. 28-30 at the Opening Spike Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa., where the Jayhawks will face Pittsburgh and Stanford. KU will play its first of 14 home games on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena against Wichita State.
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