MANHATTAN (KSNT) - K-State volleyball's biggest piece of offseason news is surely the return of three-time unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection Aliyah Carter.
However, the Wildcats' coaching staff also hit the portal hard to surround Carter with talent.
Kentucky transfer Jordyn Williams, a rising redshirt sophomore who plays middle blocker, chose to join K-State. The Wildcats also provide Ella Larkin with a homecoming of sorts. Larkin, a Wichita native, transfers to K-State from LSU. Contrarily, moving to Kansas is quite the adjustment for Pepperdine transfer Meg Brown.
Brown has lived in California her whole life and recently went semi-viral on TikTok when discussing the differences of her home state compared to Manhattan, Kansas.
"I kind of knew that it was going to be a big change from California," Brown told K-Nation. "It's a really Midwestern energy and that's what I was looking for. I've actually had a lot of people that they think I'm from the Midwest when they meet me in California just because I'm a smiley person and get along with a lot of people."
Brown, who earned first-team all-conference selections in each of the last three seasons with the Waves, says she's loving Kansas so far but is still adjusting to the humidity.
The most obvious connection between her and K-State was Steve Astor. Astor worked on staff with Pepperdine for three seasons, all during Brown's tenure with the team, before being named K-State's associate head coach.
"I knew that if she hit the portal she was somebody that people were going to want," K-State head volleyball coach Jason Mansfield said, recalling how quickly he asked Astor if he thought Brown might be interested. "Connections are everything. For her to have that connection with Steve [Astor] and respect him and want to play for him again- it means everything."
Brown confirmed K-State used two major recruiting pitches to its advantage: A new, gorgeous arena and the chance to play alongside Carter.
"We played against each other my sophomore year.," Brown said. "All eyes were on her when we played her. All of our scouting was based on her."
The new Wildcat says she'll bring energy and a strong desire to win on the court. Away from the game, she hopes to love and support her teammates while using her four years of collegiate volleyball experience to help younger players.
Mansfield has high expectations.
"She's somebody that has a chance to be Aliyah's counterpart," he said, quickly pointing out K-State's other talented players but admitting Brown brings unique experience. "To have somebody that has four years of experience, in a different conference but playing at an elite level, NCAA tournament every year. She adds some things to our team that we just don't have."
Brown says the multitude of possible activities in California means college athletics isn't always the top priority. She says being in a community like Manhattan, which revolves around K-State and its sports, is different and exciting.
K-State just missed the NCAA tournament in 2023 and hopes to be included in Mansfield's second year leading the program in the fall of 2024.
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