Four Power Hitters Sign with Cougars

PROVO -- BYU head coach Shay Goulding announced that the BYU women’s volleyball team will welcome four freshmen recruits for the 2011 season.

Katelyn Vaughn from Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, Calif.), Kimberly Dahl from Pleasant Grove High School (Pleasant Grove, Utah), Hannah Robison from Orem High School (Orem, Utah) and Mariah Katoa from Layton High School (Layton, Utah) all have signed to play for the Cougars in the 2011 season.

“We could not be more pleased and excited about the talent level of our 2011 recruiting class,” Goulding said. “We expect that this class will come in and contribute immediately to our success. They are already familiar with our systems and we see them as vital components to the program we are building and the plans we have for the future.”

The class has been recruited to Arizona, Arizona State, Washington, Florida, Pepperdine, University of San Francisco, Colorado State, UCLA, St. Mary’s, Alabama, Texas A&M, Long Beach, Utah Valley, Utah State, Illinois, Wyoming, San Diego, Louisiana, Washington State, Oregon, University of Maryland, UNLV and others. Six of the schools listed above are currently in the top-25.

“This is definitely a class to keep an eye on,” Goulding said. “As they join those that are already working hard in the gym we feel the future of BYU volleyball is very bright.”

Below is a breakdown of biographical information:

Katelyn Vaughn

Outside Hitter

6-2

El Dorado Hills, Calif. / Oak Ridge HS

Before BYU

Club: Played for Force Volleyball Club under head coach Alynn Wright ... qualified for USAV Junior Olympics in the National Division as a member of the U13, U14, U16 and U17 (twice) teams ... club division champions of the 2007 Far Western National Qualifier ... club division champions of the 2008 SCVA National Qualifier ... qualified and participated in the USA Beach Junior Tour volleyball championships, placing seventh.

High School: Lettered and started all four years for Oak Ridge High School under head coach Becky Potter ... 2007-08 Freshman Female Athlete of the Year ... three-time All-Sierra Valley Conference first team (2010 TBD) ... two-time Sacramento Bee All-Metro team (2010 TBD) ... San Joaquin Section champions in 2008 and 2009 ... State NorCal Championship runner up in 2009 ... Volleyball Magazine’s Top-25 Underclassmen to watch ... Under Armour Girl’s High School All-American Volleyball watch list ... Oak Ridge High School all-time career kill leader with over 1,362 kills.

Personal

Parents are Bill and Rochelle Vaughn ... has two sisters and one brother ... sister, Sarah, is a high jumper on the BYU track team ... enjoys painting, playing badminton and going to the movies ... also recruited by Arizona, Arizona State, Washington, Florida, Pepperdine, University of San Francisco and Colorado State.

Kimberly Dahl

Outside Hitter

6-0

Pleasant Grove, Utah / Pleasant Grove HS

Before BYU

Club: Played for Club Utah under head coach Scott Lee ... played at the elite club level.

High School: Lettered four years at Pleasant Grove High School under head coach Jamie Shapper ... All-Region first team junior and senior years ... senior team captain ... 5A State Champions 2009 ... 5A second place 2008 and 2010 ... Deseret News All-State first team 2009 ... Salt Lake Tribune All-State first team 2009 ... Salt Lake Tribune 5A MVP 2010 ... A2 junior national team 2010.

Personal

Parents are Kevin and Pamela Dahl ... has four sisters and one brother ... mother played basketball at Ricks College ... enjoys boating, camping, piano, cooking and photography ... 2010 Homecoming Queen ... played basketball sophomore year of high school ... recruited by UCLA, Washington, Arizona State, St. Mary’s, Utah, Alabama, Texas A&M, Long Beach and Colorado State ... actual offers from BYU, Utah and St. Mary’s.

Hannah Robison

Outside Hitter

6-0

Orem, Utah / Orem HS

Before BYU

Club: Played for Club Utah 14-16 and Utah Elite 18’s under coaches Scott Lee, Justin Hutchins, Michael Burke, Rob Neilson and Tyler Widdison ... intermountain region champions, age 14-18 (15-18 power division) ... first place at Atlanta qualifier (2009, Club Utah 16’s) ... played club division at age 14-15 ... played club and open division age 16 ... played open age 17 (qualified for nationals in club division) ... attended Junior Nationals club four years.

High School: Lettered four years at Orem High School under head coach Natalie Real ... 2009 Utah Valley first team ... two-time regional winner ... placed third in state in 2010 ... nominated for the ESPN Gatorade Athlete of the Year in 2010 ... Top-100 national high school recruits of 2010 ... lettered in state four years (2007-2010) ... Region 7 honorable mention (2008, 2009-Salt Lake Tribune) ... Region 7 first team (2007 and 2010) ... Region 7 second team (2009).

Personal

Parents are Carl and Jan Robison ... has one sister and two brothers ... sister, Dani, played volleyball at Utah Valley University ... enjoys playing the piano, art, jumping on the trampoline, cooking, going to Lake Powell, snowmobiling, reading, tennis and golf ... recruited by Utah Valley, Utah, Utah State, Arizona State, St. Mary’s, Illinois, Wyoming, San Diego, Colorado State and Louisiana.

Mariah Katoa

Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker

6-0

Layton, Utah / Layton HS

Before BYU

Club: Played for Club V under head coach Reed Carlson ... played at the elite level for three years.

High School: Lettered four years at Layton High School under head coach Michelle Vimahi ... team MVP junior year ... Most Improved Player sophomore year ... region champions in 2008 ... selected for the Senior All-Star team ... three-time first team All-Area ... second-team All-State as a junior ... first team All-State as a senior ... most kills in a game: 22.

Personal

Parents are Osaiasi Fotu and Elizabeth T. Katoa ... has four sisters and two brothers ... mother, Elizabeth, was an All-American track runner at BYU and father, Osaiasi, was an All-American football player at BYU ... enjoys cliff diving, writing, photography, being a make-up artist for friends and every genre of music ... recruited by Texas A&M, Washington State, Colorado State, Oregon, University of Maryland, Utah, UNLV and others.