Coming off the best season in UAA volleyball history, coach Chris Green on Thursday announced the signings of five recruits, two of them junior-college transfers and three straight out of high school.
New to the program are 5-foot-7 libero Keala Kaio-Perez, a Hawaiian who played last season at Western Nebraska Community College; 5-10 outside hitter Anais Vargas, who comes from Northeastern Junior College in Colorado; 5-11 middle blocker/right-side hitter Diana Fa'amausili from Kent-Meridian High School in Federal Way, Washington; 5-10 setter Madison Fisher from University High in Greely, Colorado; and 5-11 middle blocker Vanessa Hayes of McNary High School in Salem, Oregon.
Those five join previously announced recruit Kara Viotto, a 6-1 middle blocker from Eagle River High School.
UAA last season went 27-3 and finished ranked No. 13 in NCAA Division II. Green was voted Great Northwest Athletic Conference and West Region Coach of the Year.
Kaio-Perez, who averaged 3.1 digs per set, helped Western Nebraska to a national runner-up finish at junior college nationals. Vargas averaged 4.19 kills per set and delivered a strong .283 hitting percentage. Fa'amausili was the South Puget Sound League's North Division Most Valuable Player.
Fisher played two years of high school volleyball with Vargas.
"With our (three) losses to graduation, we certainly needed a solid recruiting class, and we feel this group is ready to meet the challenge,'' Green said in a press release.
UAA has advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament three straight seasons and six times in Green's eight seasons. In his tenure, UAA owns a .697 winning percentage (159-69).