Men's volleyball adds two

PROVO, Utah—BYU men’s volleyball has signed two California athletes— transfer Ty Hutchins from Orange Coast College and Storm Faagata from Lakewood High School.

Hutchins, a junior, will start school at BYU in September and is projected to play outside hitter or opposite hitter. Faagata will serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before enrolling at BYU in the fall of 2016.

Hutchins led the Pirates with 4.08 kills per set to a 20-1 season record in 2014. He hit .365 on the season and had 25 total blocks, including 11 solo blocks. Named the Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year, Hutchins recorded 19 kills against Santa Monica City College to help Orange Coast win the California Community College Athletic Association state championship.

In high school, he was named to Arizona’s all-state team in 2010, 2011 and 2012. He played for coach Jeff Grover at Gilbert High School.

Hutchins—a Gilbert, Arizona, product most recently from Costa Mesa, California—is the great-nephew of BYU basketball great Mel Hutchins.

Faagata, who hails from Fountain Valley, California, helped his high school team to a league championship in 2011-12 and was named league Co-MVP under coach Devon Taylor.

Faagata played club volleyball for Southern California Volleyball Club under coach Chris Austin. With Faagata on the team, SCVC placed second in the 2013 Boys Junior National Championships in the 17 open division and third in the 2012 Boys Classic.

Following graduation and before his mission, Faagata will play with fellow BYU NLI signee Brenden Sander for the U.S. Men’s Junior National Training Team. The team will be cut to 12 players prior to the NORCECA Under-21 Continental Championship in El Salvador July 28-Aug. 3. The team will begin its training session July 13 in New York.