KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team and head coach
Colleen Munson have announced the signing of four student-athletes to the program's class of 2027. Outside hitter/defensive specialist Taylor Berg (Chicago, Ill.), defensive specialist/libero Makayla Naves (Grand Blanc, Mich.), defensive specialist/libero Rylee Stanley-Eldred (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and outside hitter Piper Vogel (Wexford, Pa.) are all slated to suit up for the Brown and Gold beginning with the 2027 season.
"We are proud to welcome Piper, Taylor, Makayla, and Rylee to our Bronco volleyball family!" coach Munson said. "Each has chosen WMU as the place to continue her volleyball journey, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of that next chapter. Coming from highly regarded, successful programs, they each bring their own experiences, strengths, and personalities to our 2027 class. We are thankful they have committed to being part of what we are building here and look forward to welcoming them to campus, getting to know them beyond the volleyball court, and helping them grow as student-athletes and young women. We know they will each bring something unique to our program, and we are excited to begin this journey together!"
Taylor Berg • 5-10 • Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist • Chicago, Ill. • Marist HS
A native of Chicago, Berg will join the Broncos after three years as a starter for head coach Jordan Vidovic at Marist High School. She helped the RedHawks to back-to-back Illinois state championships in 2024 and 2025, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the 2025 state finals. This fall, she guided Marist to a 32-5 record and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Durango Classic.
In the classroom, Berg is an Honor Roll student and carries a 3.4 GPA. She plays her club ball for 1st Alliance Volleyball Club.
Makayla Naves • 5-7 • Defensive Specialist/Libero • Grand Blanc, Mich. • Davison HS
An in-state product from Grand Blanc, Naves plays for her mother, Katie, at Davison High School, where she has helped the Cardinals win three SVL championships, a pair of district titles and finish as a regional finalist in 2025. She has racked up over 1,600 digs during her prep career and owns a 2.4 digs per set average, the highest in school history. Among her honors are First Team All-SVL, SVL MVP, First Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State.
Naves has also had a decorated academic career at Davison, boasting a 4.00 GPA and earning Honor Roll, SVL All-Academic Team and All-State Academic Team accolades. She plays her club ball for Legacy Volleyball Club.
Rylee Stanley-Eldred • 5-6 • Defensive Specialist/Libero • Grand Rapids, Mich. • East Grand Rapids HS
Another in-state product, Stanley-Eldred is set to head to WMU after playing for head coach Bruce Hungerford at East Grand Rapids High School. During her time with the Pioneers, she has collected more than 1,400 digs and 135 service aces on the way to earning a pair of All-Conference selections and an All-Region accolade. A four-year letterwinner, she has helped East Grand Rapids climb to a top-10 ranking in the state of Michigan and capture a district championship this fall.
Among her other accolades are being named a 2025 AAU All-American, an AVCA Phenom and a defensive standout by Prep-Dig Michigan. Stanley-Eldred plays her club ball for Far Out Volleyball Club in Grand Rapids, the same club which produced current Broncos
Elana Erickson,
Carley Piercefield and
Izzy Swiercz.
Piper Vogel • 5-11 • Outside Hitter • Wexford, Pa. • Pine-Richland HS
Vogel is set to arrive at Western Michigan from Pine-Richland High School, where is a four-year letterwinner for head coach Angela D'Amico. In her prep career, she has amassed more than 900 kills, 300 digs, 100 blocks and 60 service aces, and owns a single-match, career high of 37 kills. During her junior campaign, the Rams were runners-up at the WPIAL Championship and the PIAA State Championship.
She has racked up numerous accolades while at Pine-Richland, earning multiple All-Section, All-WPIAL and Big 56 selections, including garnering First Team honors during her senior year. In the classroom, Vogel has been a Merit Scholar all throughout high school and owns a 3.75 GPA.
