Valparaiso volleyball head coach Carin Avery announced today that Nicole Lambert has transferred into the Crusader volleyball program. Lambert will be eligible immediately for the 2013 season and has three years of eligibility remaining.

"I'm very excited to get a great late addition to our roster as we head into our season," said Avery. "Nicole comes into our program as a very talented blocker who will add good depth to our middle hitting position."

Lambert, a 6'0" middle hitter from St. Charles, Ill., joins the Crusaders after spending one season at Radford. Lambert stood out on the block for the Highlanders, leading the squad with 1.03 blocks/set and finishing second on the team with 61 total blocks. Offensively, she tallied 57 kills on the season as well.

Lambert played her prep volleyball at St. Charles East H.S., where she helped lead the Fighting Saints to a third-place finish in the IHSA state championship, as well as a top-50 national ranking, as a senior. A three-year starter at East, Lambert was named to the AVCA's preseason watch list for Illinois' top senior volleyball player in 2011. In the club ranks, she was part of the Fusion 18 Black squad which finished fifth in the 18 Open division at nationals.

Lambert gives the Crusaders a 17-player roster, including eight newcomers, as the team prepares for the 2013 campaign, which opens Friday, Aug. 30 at UCF.