Francis Marion University women's volleyball head coach Lauren Baufield-Edwards has announced the addition of 5-8 setter Meghan Scharpenberg of Boiling Springs, S.C. – a transfer from Spartanburg Methodist College – and the signing of 6-1 middle hitter Caroline Lucas of Easley, S.C., to a national letter of intent.  Both will enroll at FMU this fall.

Scharpenberg played two seasons at SMC.  This past fall, she earned All-Region honors while averaging 7.12 assists and 2.38 digs per set and helping lead the Pioneers to a 29-10 record and an appearance in the NJCAA Southeast B District Championship Tournament.  She committed only two ball handling errors and registered 59 service aces and 41 kills.
She was selected as a Pioneer Ambassador on the SMC campus.

As a freshman, she averaged 3.32 assists and 1.74 digs per set with 23 services aces in a covid-delayed and shortened season.

She is a product of Boiling Springs High School, where she played for coach Allison Elliott.  She also attended Grand Traverse Academic in Michigan.  She is a former four-sport letterwinner (volleyball, basketball, softball, cross country).

"What is better than a gym rat….Having that gym rat in your gym," Baufield-Edwards said.  "Meghan absolutely loves volleyball and is surrounded by it as she comes from a volleyball family.  You can see her passion for the game as she plays.  She has had to learn the setting position quickly as she switched to setting only three seasons ago after years of playing defense (DS/L).  Her ability to place her hitters in positions to score will make an immediate impact, and will raise the level of competitiveness that has already been set by her teammates.  She projects a very calming presence and has a great amount of self-drive, which is infectious to those around her.  There isn't a challenge that Meghan takes on that she is afraid of."

Lucas is a senior at Pickens High School, where she played for coach Rikki Owens.  She is a former teammate of current Patriot Kaylee Gillespie.

She is a two-time All-Region and All-State selection and was chosen to play in the 2021 North-South Match.  She helped guide the Blue Flames to a AAAA state championship as a senior and was named a Scholar Athlete.

This past fall, she averaged 2.2 kills per set with a .260 attack percentage.  She also totaled 54 service aces and 29 blocks.  She concluded her prep career with 401 kills.

"As a four-sport athlete (volleyball, swimming, basketball, and track), Caroline brings a type of athleticism to our middle position that we have yet to see.  She comes from a winning background and only expects to win.  That type of mentality will help to continue to push our program forward to our underlying goal – winning.  Caroline is an impressive middle that has a very strong arm and when she puts herself in a great position to swing, it is always a kill.   Over the course of her collegiate years here at Francis Marion, she will really add to the core of our middle position and blocking." 

Baufield-Edwards previously announced the addition of 5-3 libero Katie Floyd of Campbellsville, Ky., 5-10 outside hitter Katie Kemp of Plano, Texas, and 5-11 outside hitter and defensive specialist Kayla Clayworth of Myrtle Beach. 

Francis Marion loses five seniors off this past season's team that posted a 21-11 record, won the Conference Carolinas East Division and tournament championships, and advanced to the NCAA Division II national tournament.