The RoundHouse | 2/19/2018 10:53:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Michaela Putnicki and Kali Eaken will start practice with Wichita State on Monday, both confident that they found the right place to have fun and play volleyball.
 
Putnicki and Eaken are transfers from top programs and charged with helping the Shockers replace stalwarts such as setter Emily Hiebert and attackers Abbie Lehman and Mikaela Raudsepp. Wichita State went 29-4 last season and won the American Athletic Conference with a 20-0 record.
 
Putnicki, from Monument, Colo., is a sophomore transfer from Penn State and a 6-foot-1 outside hitter. Eaken, from Kansas City, Mo., is a graduate transfer with one season of eligibility after transferring from Louisville. She is a 5-10 setter who attended Bishop Miege High and redshirted at Kansas State in 2014 before playing three seasons at Louisville.
 
"(Wichita State) feels like a big family to me," Putnicki said. "I like how they play volleyball here and treat and respect their athletes very well. It's a great work environment."
 
Shocker coach Chris Lamb knew plenty about both from their days as high school standouts. Eaken came to Wichita State's team camp. Both are eligible for the 2018 season. Putnicki played in three matches last fall for Penn State, which went 33-2 and lost to eventual champion Nebraska in five sets in the national semifinals. Eaken started for Louisville in 2016 and averaged 8.72 assists. Last season, she played in nine matches.
 
"Michaela's got a live skill-set, she's a complete player," Lamb said. "I really think it's a really good fit for who we are, where we are."
 
Eaken started for Louisville in 2016 and averaged 8.72 assists. Last season, she played in nine matches.
 
"(Eaken) was a really strong setter at a very young age on everybody's radar," Lamb said. "She's got this great charismatic, fun approach out there. Her hope was, having one year of eligibility, was to go somewhere where she could ride into the sunset and finish on a high note."
 
Both Putnicki and Eaken said Lamb's fast-paced system was a factor in bringing them to Wichita State.
 
"When I had the opportunity to come play here, I was super-excited about it," Eaken said. "He's very creative and love to run a fast offense and do different things."
 
Eaken joins Kora Kauling, who redshirted as a freshman in 2017, as Lamb's top options at setter.
 
"I think, right away, she will serve and defend well," Lamb said. "Setting-wise, she's always been pretty mobile and strong. She's had good range with both her feet and her hands."
 
The Shockers play their first scrimmage of the spring on March 15 vs. Kansas State at a site to be determined. On March 31, Colorado State and Kansas join the Shockers in Goodland. On April 14, Wichita State plays in a tournament at UMKC. The Shockers conclude the spring at Oklahoma on April 21.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.