The Northwest University volleyball program announced four new signees on Dec. 12, part of a 2017 class coach Steve Bain hopes will replace a handful of outgoing standouts.

The Eagles went 19-8 overall in 2016, reaching the Cascade Conference semifinals. Northwest will return a majority of the hitting leaders, including current juniors Amanda Waterman (231 kills) and Mattie Jo Johnson (205) and freshman Michal Bilger.

The loss of seniors Hannah Hanson (166 kills) and libero Leia Roy create a big hole. Hanson was an all-conference first-team middle blocker and Roy a first-team libero, and the two were part of a standout trio along with Waterman.

Two of the Eagles’ 2017 recruits have local ties. Corteney Carr, a 5-foot-8 setter, was an all-KingCo second-team member as a sophomore at Mount Si High School and will graduate in Snoqualmie this spring.

Audrey Saelens, a 5-foot-9 middle blocker, played prep volleyball at Emerald Ridge High in Puyallup and will transfer in from Bellevue College where she was a two-time Northwest Athletic Conference first-team selection.

The 2017 class also includes 6-foot hitter/blocker Hannah Lord for Heritage High in Vancouver and 5-foot-11 hitter Sarah Howlett from Richland High.

Along with Roy, Hanson and Adams, the Eagles also bid farewell to senior hitter Lara Linden and senior hitter Mattie Keltner.