Ellie Adams, Alyssa Gumbel, Anna Cassidy
Mastodon WVB Signs Three For 2026
11/21/2025 10:53:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball head coach Steve Florio announced the signing of Anna Cassidy, Alyssa Gumbel and Ellie Adams for the 2026 season.
"All three of these players will mesh nicely with our very young and talented team," Florio said. "They are good students, good people, and have skillsets that fill gaps we are missing. We can't wait to get them in the gym with us!"
Cassidy is a 6-foot-1 middle blocker out of Mentor, Ohio. As a senior, she led her team to the state championship match for the first time since 1998. She earned all-conference nods as a junior and senior. Cassidy played club at Rockcity for three years and was named Rockcity Player of the Year in 2023. She finished her club career playing one year for Academy Volleyball Cleveland.
"We are very excited about Anna," Florio said. "She has a fun personality and is a dedicated student. As a middle, we expect Anna will be a dominant blocker in our league. She is big and physical, and she has excellent blocking technique as well as a nose for the ball. In short, when she gets a block on the ball, which is often, it goes straight down in a hurry. Offensively, she plays high and can hit good angles as well as go over the block."
Gumbel is a 5-foot-10 outside/defensive specialist from Yoder, Indiana. She recorded 493 kills and 363 digs in three years due to a senior year injury. In her time at Bellmont High School, she was a part of two state runner-up and four conference championship teams. Gumbel earned a First Team All-Conference selection in 2024 and was the state leader in hitting percentage in 2023 (.464). In club, she played for Team Pineapple from 2019-24 and Pineapple High Performance from 2024-25. She also finished top five in her graduating class.
"Alyssa is a highly skilled player from our region, and I am thrilled she has chosen to keep her talents here in Fort Wayne," Florio said. "Alyssa is a true six-rotation pin with high-level experience. She has a strong volleyball IQ and her play is very efficient. She is a high-achieving student and a person of great character who will be an outstanding representative of our team, university and the Fort Wayne area."
Adams is a 5-foot-8 outside/defensive specialist from Mishawaka, Indiana. She was named team MVP all four years of high school as she racked up 1,541 kills and 1,296 digs in her career. Adams was a four-time all-conference pick and a two-time all-district selection. In her senior season, she also earned the Mental Attitude Award and was an Academic All-State honoree. Adams played for Network Volleyball Club in 2017-18 and NIVA in 2019-26 where she was a 2024 USAV 18's Patriot Division National Champion winner.
"Ellie is a well-rounded player with great defense and serve receive," Florio said. "Further, she has a lot of offensive experience as well which makes her versatile, and that will make our gym more competitive right away. She is another player with a high volleyball IQ who will likely find a way to contribute early for us. A smooth competitor with leadership qualities, Ellie stays cool under pressure, and that's exactly what we want out of this defensive addition and why we love that she chose to be a 'Don."
Cassidy, Gumbel and Adams will join the Mastodons in the fall of 2026.
"All three of these players will mesh nicely with our very young and talented team," Florio said. "They are good students, good people, and have skillsets that fill gaps we are missing. We can't wait to get them in the gym with us!"
Cassidy is a 6-foot-1 middle blocker out of Mentor, Ohio. As a senior, she led her team to the state championship match for the first time since 1998. She earned all-conference nods as a junior and senior. Cassidy played club at Rockcity for three years and was named Rockcity Player of the Year in 2023. She finished her club career playing one year for Academy Volleyball Cleveland.
"We are very excited about Anna," Florio said. "She has a fun personality and is a dedicated student. As a middle, we expect Anna will be a dominant blocker in our league. She is big and physical, and she has excellent blocking technique as well as a nose for the ball. In short, when she gets a block on the ball, which is often, it goes straight down in a hurry. Offensively, she plays high and can hit good angles as well as go over the block."
Gumbel is a 5-foot-10 outside/defensive specialist from Yoder, Indiana. She recorded 493 kills and 363 digs in three years due to a senior year injury. In her time at Bellmont High School, she was a part of two state runner-up and four conference championship teams. Gumbel earned a First Team All-Conference selection in 2024 and was the state leader in hitting percentage in 2023 (.464). In club, she played for Team Pineapple from 2019-24 and Pineapple High Performance from 2024-25. She also finished top five in her graduating class.
"Alyssa is a highly skilled player from our region, and I am thrilled she has chosen to keep her talents here in Fort Wayne," Florio said. "Alyssa is a true six-rotation pin with high-level experience. She has a strong volleyball IQ and her play is very efficient. She is a high-achieving student and a person of great character who will be an outstanding representative of our team, university and the Fort Wayne area."
Adams is a 5-foot-8 outside/defensive specialist from Mishawaka, Indiana. She was named team MVP all four years of high school as she racked up 1,541 kills and 1,296 digs in her career. Adams was a four-time all-conference pick and a two-time all-district selection. In her senior season, she also earned the Mental Attitude Award and was an Academic All-State honoree. Adams played for Network Volleyball Club in 2017-18 and NIVA in 2019-26 where she was a 2024 USAV 18's Patriot Division National Champion winner.
"Ellie is a well-rounded player with great defense and serve receive," Florio said. "Further, she has a lot of offensive experience as well which makes her versatile, and that will make our gym more competitive right away. She is another player with a high volleyball IQ who will likely find a way to contribute early for us. A smooth competitor with leadership qualities, Ellie stays cool under pressure, and that's exactly what we want out of this defensive addition and why we love that she chose to be a 'Don."
Cassidy, Gumbel and Adams will join the Mastodons in the fall of 2026.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Dons done did it #HLVB
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