(Friday, May 12; Sioux Center, Iowa) Spencer Franken, a senior at Gilbert Christian High School (Arizona), has announced his intention to attend Dordt and join the Defender volleyball program.  

"Spencer has a strong future ahead as a middle hitter.  He is coachable and eager to learn all that he can about the sport of volleyball.  We are grateful for the work that Coach Michelle Petrey, Coach Taylor Van Winkle and Coach Chris Aviles have invested into his development.  Spencer will do very well living out The Defender Way in our program, campus, and community," said Dordt volleyball coach Chad Hanson. 

Franken averaged 1.4 kills per set with 46 blocks and 62 digs this season.  He's listed as a 6-5 middle hitter and is also a member of the AZ Fear Volleyball Club.  

"I really wanted to go to a Christian college and play volleyball at the same time. Dordt University was the perfect opportunity to pursue both. Along with it having a degree I was interested in, Dordt is a great fit for me," said Franken.  

Spencer is the son of Daryl and Kim Franken of Gilbert, Arizona.  He plans to study computer science.  

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA).?  

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.