SAN ANTONIO — On Wednesday, UTSA volleyball coach Carol Price-Torok announced the addition of Bailey Lechler and Morgan Durgens to the 2024 roster, with the duo rounding out a recruiting class that includes Annika Sokol, Caroline Tredwell, Ally Tribe, Martina Franco, and Isabella Arroyave
Morgen Durgens | 5-9 | S | League City, Texas | Clear Springs HS
A League City, Texas native, Durgens heads to UTSA following a stellar career on and off the court at Clear Springs HS. With the Chargers, she reached the Regional Semifinals in 2020, 2021, and 2022, claiming Bi-District and Area Championships in each of those seasons. Durgens also helped the squad to 24-6A District Championships in 2022 and 2023.
She dished out 2,500-plus assists and over 1,000 digs for Clear Springs HS, propelling her to a wealth of accolades. A three-time All-District honoree, she was the 2022 24-6A Setter of the Year and a mainstay on the Greater Houston Volleyball Coaches Association (GHVCA) postseason squads. She received national recognition from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), which named her on their 2023 All-American Watch List and the 2022 AVCA Phenom Watch List. Durgens was regularly chosen for the Prep Volleyball Top 150 prospect list, and the organization anointed her a 2021 All-American. She also earned a trio of CCISD All-Tournament selections, was a two-time All-Galveston County pick, and was a 2022 Texas Girls Coaches Association (TAGC) 6A All-Star.
Durgens recorded a 5.2 GPA across her high school tenure, which landed her on the All-District Academic squad in 2021 and 2022 and the GHVCA 6A All-Academic Team. She was a member of several prestigious academic organizations, including the National Honor Society, the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, and the National Technical Honor Society. Additionally, she was a three-time Superintendent Scholar Award Winner.
She is the daughter of Kevin and Liza Durgens and has one sister, Madison. Durgens comes from an athletic family, with her father having played collegiate baseball for St. Edward’s. At UTSA, she’s planning to study kinesiology with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.
Head Coach Carol Price-Torok on Durgens:
“Morgen is coming to UTSA as one of the under-the-radar setters in Texas. She has a high IQ for the setting position and is purposeful with her decisions on how to make her attackers better. Morgen is going to add some depth to an already talented setters’ group and we are looking forward to seeing her growth in our offensive systems. Welcome to our family!”
Bailey Lechler | 5-6 | DS | Richmond, Texas | Richmond Foster HS
A 5-6 defensive specialist out of Richmond, Texas, Lechler was a standout performer for Richmond Foster HS, lettering in both volleyball and softball. On the court, she collected District 20-5A first-team honors as a junior and senior, pacing her team in digs across both seasons.
She was named team captain and was an AAU Junior National Academic All-American across multiple seasons, thanks to a stellar 4.49 GPA. Additionally, she helped the Falcons to the second round of the state playoffs in each of her varsity seasons and claimed a 2023 Bi-District Championship.
Lechler led her squad to a trio of district titles on the diamond, recently winning an area championship and punching her ticket to the regional semifinals. She was a three-time First-Team All-District infielder and an all-academic performer. Initially, Lechler pursued a collegiate career in softball but fell in love with volleyball on her journey to UTSA.
She is the daughter of Shane and Erin Gibson Lechler and has one sister, Emerson. Both parents competed collegiately at Texas A&M, as her mother shared the volleyball court with UTSA head coach Carol Price-Torok, earning All-Big 12 and AVCA All-Region honors. Her father was a two-time All-American in football, ahead of an 18-year NFL career, during which he was an All-Pro punter with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans.
At UTSA, Lechler will study prelaw and creative writing with the goal of becoming a lawyer.
Head Coach Carol Price-Torok on Lechler:
“During the recruiting process with Bailey, it was evident that she will bring a growth mindset and competitive edge to our gym. She has been around high-level athletics her entire life and she understands the work ethic and dedication to compete collegiately. We are excited to have her raise the competition level in our gym every day. Welcome to the 2-1-0, Bailey!”
Keep up with UTSA Volleyball all season long on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAVBall, X (Twitter) @UTSAVolleyball, and on Instagram @utsa_vb.
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