KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island Volleyball head coach Ryan Sullivan has added three transfers and a true freshman for the 2025 season, bringing the total number of newcomers for this season to seven. Also joining the program as a student assistant is Ezgi Karabulut, who played two seasons each at South Alabama and New Hampshire.

Setters Ema Stermenska (Southern Illinois) and Jessica Parker (Elon) and both come to Rhode Island with accolades to their credit. Parker was named to the 2023 CAA All-Rookie Team while playing for Elon. Stermenska earned Missouri Valley Conference All-Rookie Team honors the same year. Stermenska arrives with two seasons of eligibility, while Parker is a redshirt sophomore with three seasons remaining.

Also joining the Rams are redshirt freshman Cansu Kornosor and true freshman Ipek Ulukutlu. Kornosor is a libero/defensive specialist transferring from Chattanooga. Ulukutlu is an outside hitter.

The quartet joins outside hitter McKenna Melton, middle blocker Hannah Jonick and setter Autumn Tombline, who were announced by the program last March.

Stermenska is the most experienced player among the newest team members. She has played in 61 matches over the last two seasons with SIU, recording 1,234 assists, 426 digs and 76 service aces. As a freshman, Stermenska helped the Salukis go 20-12 and earn a bid to the 2023 National Invitational Volleyball Championship. A native of Holic, Slovakia, Stermenska is one of three international players joining the Rams this season. Kornosor and Ulukutlu both hail from Turkey.

"With a tremendous amount of leadership and experience, Ema is primed to make an immediate impact with us in all three phases of the game," Sullivan said. "She has a high volleyball IQ and clearly makes her teammates better. We can't wait to see what this translates to in our gym."

After a strong freshman campaign at Elon in 2023, Parker missed the 2024 season with an injury. The 5-11 Illinois native averaged 6.43 assists per set, recording 600 assists, 165 digs and 38 service aces over the course of 27 matches. She had four double-doubles and ranked fifth in the CAA with 0.4 aces per set. Parker started 25 of the 27 matches for the Phoenix that season.

"Jess is an athletic, all-around player with a very high ceiling," Sullivan said. "She joins a great group at the setter position and we feel that her ability to overcome adversity will play a large role in increasing our overall competitiveness and brand of volleyball." 

Kornosor sat out a redshirt season with Chattanooga last year, but her impact on the program was felt. A Dean's List student who posted a 4.0 grade-point average in the Spring semester, she was honored with the UTC Scraply Awards 110% Student-Athlete Award. Before Chattanooga, Nornosor - a native of Bursa, Turkey - played in the Turkish Women's 2nd League with the club team Semt77 Yalovaspor. She helped the  team go 9-3 for a second-place in Group 9, which clinched a spot in the 2d League playoffs.

"Our serve reception and ball control is immediately assisted with the addition of Cansu to the roster," Sullivan said. "Her academic and athletic discipline will fit in well with the standard we have been building here at Rhody, while also raising the competition level in our gym."

Like Kornosor, Ulukutlu is a native of Turkey. The Kadikoy, Istanbul native joins Jonick and Tombline as true freshmen for Rhode Island. Ulukutlu played five seasons for the elite Fenerbahce Sports Club with the program's U-18 and U-20 teams. In 2023-24, the team placed second in the Turkey U-20 and third place in Istanbul. In 2022-23, Ulukutlu competed for Fenerbahce in both U-18 and U-20. The U-18 squad finished third in Istanbul and reached the Elite 8 in Turkey, while the U-20 team placed third in Istanbul. In 2021-22, she led the U-18 team to a second-place finish in Turkey.

"Ipek is a talented outside hitter with length and ball control who can affect the game in multiple ways," Sullivan said. "Her eye for the game and athletic touch will have an immediate impact in our gym. Hannah, Autumn and Ipek are exactly the freshman class we need to lead this program to the future we strive for."

Karabalut played her final two seasons at New Hampshire. In 2023, she was part of the Wildcat team that went 18-9. Sullivan and current URI assistant coach Marissa Soistman were part of the UNH coaching staff that season. Karabalut is a native of Ankara, Turkey.

"Rhode Island Volleyball made a massive step forward with the addition of Ezgi Karabulut," Sullivan said. "Marissa and I had the pleasure of coaching her at UNH in Coach Feliciano's program and know firsthand the influence she can have in mentoring our women. Coming off of a 2024 America East Title and NCAA Tournament birth, she will provide championship level experience to our program that we haven't yet had.  'Ez' will be paramount in fortifying our defense and serve reception."

Rhode Island opens the 2025 season at the Stony Brook Tournament from Aug. 29-31. The Rams will play Siena (Aug. 29), Central Connecticut State (Aug. 30) and the host Seawolves (Aug. 31) during the opening weekend.