CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri volleyball has announced the signings of six student-athletes that will join the program beginning in 2024. Marin Johnson, Alayna Christner, Alaina Lester. Megan Holder, Holland Guilliams, and Jacey Young will all join Head Coach Julie Yankus and the Redhawks. 
 
Marin Johnson
A native of Wheaton, Ill., Marin Johnson will join the Redhawks after graduating from Glenbard West High School in 2024. 
 
The daughter of Dave and Brenna Johnson is a 6' 2" outside hitter and has been a four-year varsity letter winner for coach Daniel Scott. 
 
This past season, Johnson was named to the AVCA Phenom Watchlist along with collecting all-conference honors. 
 
In 2022, Johnson led Glenbard West in kills and aces. That season she was awarded JVA All-State, All-Area, and All-Conference along with being added to the AVCA Phenom Watchlist. 
 
During the club season, Marin was a member of 1^st Alliance Volleyball Club where she was a NIT Select Division Champion and Windy City Champions. 
 
Johnson is a four-sport athlete over her career thus far, competing in soccer, track, and basketball. 
 
In addition to sports, Johnson is a standout in the classroom earning an academic letter all four years of high school for a GPA greater than 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. 
 
She intends to major in Business at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Alayna Christner
Alayna Christner comes to SEMO by way of Lebanon, Ind. and will graduate from West Boone Junior-Senior High School in 2024. 
 
Christner is a 6' 2" rightside hitter for coach Laura Bragg where she just completed her senior year as a first team All-Sagamore Conference selection after leading the Sagamore Conference in blocks (ninth in IHSAA Class 3A), was fifth in hitting-percentage, and sixth in kills. 
 
Following her senior season, Christner was selected to the 1^st Team All-District team, and was a 2^nd Team All-State selection. She was selected as a 2023 PrepDig Top 250 Gamechanger and was invited to the 2023 South All-Star tryouts. 
 
As a junior she led the Sagamore Conference in blocks as well and was nominated for the IHSVCA Junior All-State Team and was selected to the 2022 JVA Watch List & AVCA Phenom List for the class of 2024. 
 
From 2021-2023, West Boone was undefeated Sagamore Conference Champions with two 2A state runner-up finishes, and an IHSAA 3A sectional runner-up finish in 2023. 
 
Off the court, Christner is a Member of Western Boone Ecology Club, Key Club, Pep Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a 10-year 4-H member, showing rabbits, scrapbook, latchhook, photography and ceramic projects. 
 
She intends to major in psychology at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Alaina Lester
Alaina Lester will join the Redhawks after graduating from Althoff Catholic High School in 2024. A native of Millstadt, Ill., Lester is a 5' 10" middle blocker for head coach Brice Miller. 
 
The daughter of Wavey Lester II and Sara Lester, Alaina has been a first-team conference selection for all four years of her career. 
 
As a junior, Lester was an All-State Honorable Mention selection and was named to the All-Tournament team at the Crossroads Classic where she led her team in kills and blocks. 
 
During the same season, she broke the Althoff Catholic school record for blocks in a game vs. O'Fallon High School with nine. 
 
Lester has also shined on the basketball court and the track. She was selected to the 2^nd Team All-Conference in basketball and has six individual state medals in track & field, including a first-place indoor triple jump state title. She holds nine school records in track & field at Althoff Catholic. 
 
In the classroom, Lester is a standout student as she has been on the high honor roll throughout her high school career, a National Honor Society member, and a member of her student council's executive board. 
 
She is currently undecided on her major at Southeast. 
 
Megan Holder
Megan Holder is a 5' 7" setter from Freeport, Ill., and will join the Redhawks after graduating from Aquin Catholic High School. 
 
Holder is from the same hometown and high school as current freshman Redhawk, Lucy Arndt. 
 
The daughter of Adam and Jennifer Holder, Megan has lettered for the last three seasons on the volleyball court for coach Robyn Stovall. This past season, Holder was selected for the prestigious AVCA Brightest and Best Award while her conference & state awards are waiting to be announced.
 
As a junior, Holder was a First Team All-Conference unanimous selection and was the 1A State Tournament MVP. She was an IVCA First Team All-State selection, an IVCA Academic Girls All-State selection, News Gazette Second Team All-State, Village Voices first team all-conference unanimous selection, a Rockford Register Star All-Area Team selection, and was the number one assist leader in the state of Illinois. 
 
Holder is the all-time assist leader in Aquin Catholic history and is a 2022 1A Volleyball State Champion. 
 
Off the volleyball court, Holder has been a standout in basketball as a first team all-conference selection and a softball player, placing third at the state championship. 
 
In the classroom, Holder has been on the highest honor roll all four years of high school, a member of National Honor Society, an IVCA Academic All-State selection, and part of servant leadership. 
 
Megan intends to major in Biomedical Sciences or Communication Disorders at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Holland Guilliams
A native of nearby Jackson, Mo., Holland Guilliams is a 5' 5" libero from Jackson High School. The daughter of Wade and Crystal Guilliams, Holland intends to major in nursing at Southeast. 
 
Guilliams has played and lettered all four years for coach David MIrly and was named to the first team all-district team, first team all-conference, and was awarded co-libero of the year as well as player of the year in the SEMO conference. 
 
The award marks back-to-back seasons as the SEMO Conference Player of the Year for Guilliams after winning the same award in her junior season.
 
She has been an academic all-state selection in her first three seasons and will be awarded her fourth following her senior season. 
 
Over her Jackson career, her team has been a district champion, regular season champion, and a SEMO Conference Tournament Champion. She has 1,000 career digs. 
 
Guilliams has been a member of Pursuit 18 National on the club side. 
 
Jacey Young
A native of St. Louis, Mo., Jacey Young is a 6' 2" middle blocker from Marquette High School. 
 
The daughter of Stephen and Colleen Young, Jacey intends to major in Biology: Pre-Physician's Assistant at Southeast Missouri. 
Young has played and lettered varsity the last two years for head coach Tammy Becker and has been a gold scholar athlete all four years of her high school career. 
 
For her senior season, Young was voted to the AVCA Best & Brightest Third Team. 
 
As a sophomore, Young was selected by her own team as the most improved player on the junior-varsity squad. 
 
During her time at Marquette HS, Young has been a part of the most wins all-time in Marquette's history. 
 
On the club side, Jacey has played for Thunder 18 Elite. 
 
Off the court, Jacey ran track & field during her freshman and sophomore seasons in high school. 
 
In addition to athletics, Young is an active Red Cross club member, a special Olympics buddy, and a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.