VOLLEYBALL TRIO HIGHLIGHTS MOUNTAIN WEST 25TH SEASON TEAM
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As part of the Mountain West’s 25th anniversary, the conference announced its list of the all-time top volleyball student-athletes that have competed during the tenure on Tuesday afternoon. The UNLV volleyball program found themselves on the list in three different spots, honoring the collegiate careers of Jada Walker, Mariena Hayden and Lauren Miramontes.
Miramontes repped the Scarlet & Gray for five seasons, spanning from 2003 to 2007. The Upland, Calif., native registered 1,499 kills in her career that ranks second all-time in program history. A 2007 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Honorable Mention, she holds the recently tied record with Isabel Martin of kills in a single match where she hit 34 against BYU. Also owning the season record for kills per set at 4.65, the middle blocker also topped the UNLV record books on the defensive front with 80 career solo blocks. Together with her top-five ranked 344 assisted blocks in her career, she currently ranks fourth all-time in total blocks at 426.
Walker’s four-year career with the Rebels totaled 2,055 digs, the only UNLV student-athlete in history to eclipse the 2,000 mark. On the court from 2004 to 2007, she owns four of the top-10 spots for digs in a single season in program history, including the top spot at 626 in the 2007 season. At the time of her graduation, those four season totals were listed as the top four season dig totals in program history. Notching the match-high mark twice (both in the 2007 season) with 34, the two-time All-Mountain West First Team honoree also holds UNLV top-five career rankings in sets played (431) and service aces (92).
Hayden is the most recent UNLV alumni on the Mountain West anniversary list, currently standing as the only Rebel to earn multiple AVCA All-American awards and multiple Mountain West Player of the Year honors. The Belle Plaine, Minn., native competed for the Scarlet & Gray for five seasons that ranged from 2017 to the unique 2021 Spring season that was played in 2022, totaling 1,997 kills for 352 service aces. Having set season records in both kills (543 in 2018) and total attempts (1,323 in 2018), Hayden sits as the only student-athlete in program history to hit over 200 service aces, racking up a grand total of 352 in her collegiate career. She currently sits atop the Mountain West career all-time rankings in kills, attack attempts, service aces, points, sets played and matches played.
Below is a full list of the Mountain West’s 25th Anniversary Team:
Lindsey Hartsock, BYU
Chelsea Goodman, BYU
Nina Puikkonen, BYU
Sierra Nobley, Boise State
Megan Plourde, Colorado State
Katie Oleksak, Colorado State
Kirstie Hillyer, Colorado State
Breana Runnels, Colorado State
Angela Knopf, Colorado State
Melissa Courtney, Colorado State
Danielle Minch, Colorado State
Adrianna Culbert, Colorado State
Ashley Fornstrom, Colorado State
Chantale Riddle, New Mexico
Deja Harris, San Diego State
Johnna Fouch, San Diego State
Lauren Miramontes, UNLV
Mariena Hayden, UNLV
Jada Walker, UNLV
Kim Turner, Utah
Airial Salvo, Utah
Lori Baird, Utah
Erin Kirby, Wyoming
Jackie McBride, Wyoming
Jodi Purdy, Wyoming
The Rebels have an unofficial fourth member on the list, current UNLV assistant coach Deja Harris being recognized on the 25th Season Team after a successful career at San Diego State that ranged from 2014-18.
MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT TICKETS: UNLV will host the 2023 conference tournament on their home court in Cox Pavilion, taking place from November 22-24. Click here if you’d like to grab your tickets now to see the top Mountain West teams in action live in Las Vegas later this week.
