Women's Volleyball | 8/26/2024 2:30:00 PM

With the start of the 2024 Utah Tech volleyball season only four days away, let's take a look at this year's squad.

Utah Tech returns three starters and nine total letter winners from the 2023 team while welcoming eight newcomers. With only one senior on the roster, fifth-year opposite hitter Hannah Howard, the Trailblazers bring back a nice blend of experience as well as a number of fresh faces.

Howard is coming off playing in all 26 matches in 2023 and enters her fifth season as a Trailblazer with a career totals of 66 matches played, 236 sets played, 534 kills, 193 digs and 86 blocks (11 solo).

Four juniors return in outside hitter Kennedi Knudsen (319 kills/230 digs/37 blocks/18 service aces), middle blocker Taylor Snow (153 kills/73 blocks), libero Kaycee Bugas (37 digs) and setter Meg Carter (80 assists/22 digs).

Four more sophomores round out the Trailblazers' nine returners with WAC All-Freshman Team selection Adee Butler (110 kills/46 digs/7 blocks), libero Mya Laufiso (27 service aces/205 digs/45 assists), setter Marley Roe (277 assists/132 digs/13 service aces) and opposite hitter Elise West (32 kills/36 blocks/20 digs).

With eight newcomers set to join the fold this fall, the Trailblazers welcome in three transfers with all three arriving from programs in Utah. 

Sophomore outside hitter Tessa Treanor, sister of assistant coach Megan Treanor, arrives from Salt Lake Community College. Redshirt freshman opposite hitter Nana Asiata adds to the depth in the frontcourt after redshirting her first season at Weber State in 2023.

Junior middle blocker Casidy Fried rounds out the transfer class after coming in from Utah State-Eastern, where she was a two-time All-Region selection.

Five true freshmen close out the roster with the newcomers hailing from four different states and spread out among four different positions.

Hailing from Kyle, Texas, middle blocker Lusia Langi earned AVCA All-American honors as a prep and holds the Hays High School school record for the all-time career blocks record (359), most career solo blocks (91) and most career block assists (268).

Setter Ireland Avalos arrives from Chandler, Ariz. after helping Perry High School to the Arizona 6A State Final last fall. Nearby product Emery Harrison, an outside hitter from Cedar City, earned First Team 4A All-State honors in 2023 and joined the Trailblazers in the spring.

The final two freshmen additions are a pair of defensive specialist/iberos Mahealani Ikei and Kaleinani Watson. Ikei arrives from Scottsdale, Ariz. and Saguaro High School where she tallied over 300 digs as a senior in 2023. 

Watson comes in from Kapolei, Hawai'i where she earned all-state honorable mention honors as a senior at Kamehameha Kaplama High School.