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Haiden Means, Bella DiBuono, Lili Smith
Mastodon Women's Volleyball Signs Three For 2025
11/14/2024 1:37:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Head coach Steve Florio announced that the Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball program has signed three student-athletes for the 2025 season: Bella DiBuono, Lili Smith and Haiden Means.
DiBuono is a 6-foot-2 middle out of Tallahassee, Florida. In her two seasons at Leon High School, DiBuono improved from 97 kills on a .210 hitting percentage to 139 kills with a .442 clip. In her senior season, she owned the top hitting percentage in the district and was second with 62 blocks, a mark that was 15th in the state. As a senior, she earned All-State, All-Star, Big Bend Preps, and All-Academic Team honors. DiBuono played club volleyball for Tallahassee Juniors (2022), Red Hills (2023) and Prostyle (2024-25.
"Bella plays the game with a fantastic combination of enthusiasm and intensity, and it's infectious," Florio said. "She won't be outworked. As a middle, she is great off of one foot and provides a big block. Her positivity and heavy academic focus are a perfect fit for our culture. I'm very excited to welcome Bella to our team."
Smith is a 5-foot-11 versatile player that can set and hit from the right side. She owns 900 assists and 450 kills in her four-year career at Flushing High School. After an honorable mention nod in 2023, Smith improved as a senior to be selected to the All-Conference First Team and All-Region Team. She led Flushing to three district championships and a regional final in 2023. Smith played club ball for Arsenal Volleyball Club (2017-21), MiElite Volleyball Academic (2021-24) and Legacy Volleyball Club (2024-25).
"Lili carries herself with great confidence," Florio said. "As a freshman setter that will have an opportunity to compete right away, she won't be intimidated by the challenge. At 5-foot-11, she'll put up a good size block which will help us if we are in a 5-1. She has excellent footwork and a really nice touch on the ball. Her cool, calm, and fun attitude is an additional bonus when it comes to fitting in right away. I'm pleased to have Lili as a Mastodon."
Means is a 5-foot-9 setter from Lexington, Indiana that played four years at Scottsburg High School. She is the school record holder with 1364 kills and 347 aces in her career. She added 1413 assists, 1024 digs and 106 blocks in her career, becoming the first player in school history to have 1000 kills, assists and digs. Means was All-Mid-Southern Conference three times and an honorable mention once. She was an All-District honoree in 2023 and 2024 and an AVCA All-American Watch List pick as a senior. In her senior season, she earned IHSAA Academic All-State honors. Means played club volleyball at UNION Volleyball Club (2017, 2020-25) and KIVA (2018-19), winning the USA Volleyball National Tournament bronze medal in 2021.
"Haiden is a steady and focused competitor," Florio said. "She, too, will bring a large amount of confidence to the setter position. She has a smooth touch on the ball, and makes aggressive choices to put her hitters in a great position to be offensive. She can also defend her position well, and possesses a high volleyball IQ. Simply put, she's a baller. On top of all that, she is also a great student that fits our academic goals. I'm thrilled to welcome Haiden.
"Both Haiden and Lili play for Elite level clubs which will have them prepared to come in and set our offense right away. I'm fully confident they'll make the jump to our level quickly and successfully. Our team will be in great hands (dad joke intended)."
DiBuono, Smith and Means will join the Mastodon squad for the 2025 season.
DiBuono is a 6-foot-2 middle out of Tallahassee, Florida. In her two seasons at Leon High School, DiBuono improved from 97 kills on a .210 hitting percentage to 139 kills with a .442 clip. In her senior season, she owned the top hitting percentage in the district and was second with 62 blocks, a mark that was 15th in the state. As a senior, she earned All-State, All-Star, Big Bend Preps, and All-Academic Team honors. DiBuono played club volleyball for Tallahassee Juniors (2022), Red Hills (2023) and Prostyle (2024-25.
"Bella plays the game with a fantastic combination of enthusiasm and intensity, and it's infectious," Florio said. "She won't be outworked. As a middle, she is great off of one foot and provides a big block. Her positivity and heavy academic focus are a perfect fit for our culture. I'm very excited to welcome Bella to our team."
Smith is a 5-foot-11 versatile player that can set and hit from the right side. She owns 900 assists and 450 kills in her four-year career at Flushing High School. After an honorable mention nod in 2023, Smith improved as a senior to be selected to the All-Conference First Team and All-Region Team. She led Flushing to three district championships and a regional final in 2023. Smith played club ball for Arsenal Volleyball Club (2017-21), MiElite Volleyball Academic (2021-24) and Legacy Volleyball Club (2024-25).
"Lili carries herself with great confidence," Florio said. "As a freshman setter that will have an opportunity to compete right away, she won't be intimidated by the challenge. At 5-foot-11, she'll put up a good size block which will help us if we are in a 5-1. She has excellent footwork and a really nice touch on the ball. Her cool, calm, and fun attitude is an additional bonus when it comes to fitting in right away. I'm pleased to have Lili as a Mastodon."
Means is a 5-foot-9 setter from Lexington, Indiana that played four years at Scottsburg High School. She is the school record holder with 1364 kills and 347 aces in her career. She added 1413 assists, 1024 digs and 106 blocks in her career, becoming the first player in school history to have 1000 kills, assists and digs. Means was All-Mid-Southern Conference three times and an honorable mention once. She was an All-District honoree in 2023 and 2024 and an AVCA All-American Watch List pick as a senior. In her senior season, she earned IHSAA Academic All-State honors. Means played club volleyball at UNION Volleyball Club (2017, 2020-25) and KIVA (2018-19), winning the USA Volleyball National Tournament bronze medal in 2021.
"Haiden is a steady and focused competitor," Florio said. "She, too, will bring a large amount of confidence to the setter position. She has a smooth touch on the ball, and makes aggressive choices to put her hitters in a great position to be offensive. She can also defend her position well, and possesses a high volleyball IQ. Simply put, she's a baller. On top of all that, she is also a great student that fits our academic goals. I'm thrilled to welcome Haiden.
"Both Haiden and Lili play for Elite level clubs which will have them prepared to come in and set our offense right away. I'm fully confident they'll make the jump to our level quickly and successfully. Our team will be in great hands (dad joke intended)."
DiBuono, Smith and Means will join the Mastodon squad for the 2025 season.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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