NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State volleyball coach Allie Matters has signed a trio of high school standouts: Charlie Fleegle, Ruthley "Soso" Marin, and Kyla Ramler; to Financial Aid Agreements (formerly known as National Letters of Intent) and will begin their college volleyball careers in the fall 2027 season.
"We are so incredibly excited to welcome this new class of Redbirds," said Matters. "It was clear early in their recruitment, that each of them would make a big impact on our program both athletically and culturally. They have played high level volleyball at their respective clubs and high schools, all while maintaining outstanding GPAs and being active in their communities."
Charlie Fleegle | 5-5 | Libero | Libertyville, Illinois
Charlie has helped Libertyville High School to a 39-1 record this season, and the team has advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 IHSA Class 4A State Championship – the team's third appearance in the IHSA Finals since 2009 – hosted on the Illinois State campus at CEFCU Arena. She was named to the IVCA All-State First Team in 2026 and was the 2026 Effingham Crossroads MVP.
She ranks second in the Libertyville High School record books in career aces and third in career digs and was rated as the top libero in 2027 and the #8 overall player in Illinois – 155th nationally – by PrepDig. As a junior she had 305 digs, 110 assists, and 54 aces for the Class 4A Sectional Champions. For her efforts she was named Class 4A All-State Second Team, All-Conference, and to the 2025 News-Sun Girls Volleyball All-Area Team.
As a sophomore she was named All-State Honorable Mention, while serving up 63 aces with 344 digs and giving out 82 assists. As a freshman in 2023 she had 177 digs, 45 aces, and 48 assists.
"Charlie Fleegle was a no-brainer," said Matters. "She is an in-state kid who stood out to me very early in the recruiting process. I knew the minute I watched her compete that she could make an impact as a freshman. She is a gifted passer and a gritty defender who understands the game well. She operates at a high octane defensively, which allows her to create good opportunities for her offense. Her ability to effectively set out of system makes her much more valuable. Charlie is a great human, a successful student, and will follow in the footsteps of the phenomenal liberos we have been lucky to witness here at Illinois State."
Ruthley "Soso" Marin | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | Omaha, Nebraska
Ruthley, who played at Millard North High School in Omaha, had 263 (2.6 per set) kills and a .287 attack percentage as a senior, while leading the team with 131 blocks (1.4 per set). She led Nebraska Class A in total blocks in 2025 and 2026, and is the Millard North career leader in blocks. She was rated as the 29th-best prospect in Nebraska, and the #4 middle inside the state according to PrepDig.
As a junior she served up a career-high 30 service aces to go with her 256 kills (2.6 per set), and .301 attack percentage and 126 blocks. During her first season as a varsity athlete in 2024 as a sophomore, she had 194 kills (2.2 per set), hitting .324 with 103 blocks.
"Ruthley Marin has a ceiling athletically that we are incredibly excited to develop," commented the Redbird head coach. "We expect her to make an impact on our middle hitter position, but love that she has the versatility to swing on both pins as well. She is the top blocker in the state of Nebraska, which has some of the best volleyball players in the nation. She recently set a new school record for career blocks at her high school and we look forward to that skill translating into our program. Her physicality is hard to miss. I will never forget when Matt (DePauw) called me immediately after stumbling upon her court while recruiting at AAU Nationals. He was walking by her court heading to watch someone else and was impressed by her ability. Â We invited her to camp and connected with her as a person and athlete. Ruthley is a hard-working, loyal, family-oriented human who is going to do big things in our Redbird uniform!"
Kyla Ramler | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | Luxemburg, Iowa
Ramler, who competed at Western Dubuque High School, was named Third Team All-State in 2025 and Class 4A All-District. This season she was named to the All-Mississippi Valley Conference First Team and the All-Academic Conference squad. She had 417 kills in 2026 and was named to the Iowa Class 4A State Championship All-Tournament Team. She had a .294 attack percentage during her senior season in addition to 242 digs, 43 blocks, and 51 service aces. She came into the season ranked as the #12 player in the state of Iowa by PrepDig, and the #3 rated middle.
As a junior she was named First Team All-Mississippi Valley Conference after knocking down 358 kills at a .369 attack percentage with 64 blocks and a team-high 31 service aces. Her sophomore season in 2024 saw her finish with 117 kills, an attack percentage of .316, 54 blocks, and a dozen service aces. She played in 34 matches and 91 sets as a freshman, with 112 kills, a .348 attack percentage, 77 blocks, and 16 aces.
"Kyla Ramler is one of those recruits that gets better and better every time you watch," noted Matters. "She is an unbelievable athlete. Kyla came to our summer camp and immediately stood out as someone that could impact our middle blocker position, as well as our pin hitter positions. She has a cannon for an arm that is paired with a high volleyball IQ and ultra-competitive personality. As a multi-sport athlete, Kyla possesses important qualities that are going to make the transition to a higher level that much easier. I know our fans are going to love the energy and passion that Kyla brings to the court, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome her to our Redbird family!"
