Cleveland volleyball standouts verbally commit to schools

RIO RANCHO — Cleveland High School has been a powerhouse in volleyball for quite some time, and senior standouts Azlynn Tittmann and Aaliyah Simpson are the latest Storm players to verbally commit to colleges.

“I want to thank everyone in this program for everything they’ve done for me,” Tittmann said.

Tittmann committed to Boise State, a Division I school that will compete in the PAC-12 Conference next season, while Simpson committed to Colorado Christian University, a Division II school competing in the RMAC conference.

“I chose Colorado Christian because it felt like the perfect fit for me both on and off the court. I really connected with the coaching staff and team culture,” Simpson said.

During the last two seasons, the Storm have seen five players make the collegiate level with the Class of 2025’s trio of Ceci Vance, Kelsey Heffner and Emma Wild all committing to Division I schools. Storm head coach Charity Gomez, the reigning District Coach of the Year, has taken Storm volleyball to new heights.

“I really do appreciate Coach Gomez as a person and just appreciate her as a coach. I think Emma Wild, too; I really looked up to her for a long time, and when I came in my freshman year, she was one of the first people to talk to me,” Tittmann said.

Last season, Tittmann, an outside hitter, was a first-team selection in All-District, All-Metro and All-State honors.

“The environment was really great, and it was really the coaches who made the decision easy for me,” Tittmann said. “The program just feels so supportive, and all the girls there already made me feel at home.”

Last season, Simpson, a middle blocker, was an honorable mention All-District selection and is heading into her third season as a varsity player. She credits her recruiting coordinator Jayla Trombley with helping her make a decision.

“Beyond athletics, I wanted to be part of a faith-based community that would help me grow spiritually, academically and physically. CCU is just a very supportive environment where I can push myself to be the best version of me,” Simpson said. “I want to thank my volleyball moms, the people from my church, my friends and family, and Coach Patrick Young!”

The Storm volleyball season begins at 6 p.m. Aug. 26 with a home match against Albuquerque High School. This past year, the Storm were runners-up in 5A volleyball.

“Even though we lost some key players last year, we gained some really talented girls. Yes, we have a young team, but there is so much potential, and it can only get better from here. The storm is coming,” Simpson said.