Meet the Miners who have sparked UTEP volleyball to NIVC title game
Five years ago, new UTEP volleyball coach Ben Wallis was assembling his first recruiting class, sharing his vision with high school seniors for how he was going to turn around a perennial loser.
Alianza Darley, a high school basketball player from Las Vegas, New Mexico in 2019, remembers sitting in Wallis' office. She remembers believing that moments were coming like the one Tuesday when UTEP plays for the NIVC championship against Wichita State, likely in front of a sold-out crowd.
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"When I sat down with Ben on my recruiting visit, he wanted to change this program into a championship program," said Darley, who ended up as Wallis' first recruit. "It's so awesome this is UTEP's first ever volleyball championship game. I'm blessed to be here. It's such an amazing feeling."
Here are a few of the players who have created this remarkable run.
Alianza Darley, 5-11 graduate outside hitter
In her fifth year in the program, Darley has evolved into a six-rotation player. Her only volleyball scholarship offer was to UTEP, her high school club experience was in basketball, but she's now second on the team with 304 kills and also has 89 blocks and 87 digs.
Alyssa Sianez, 5-3 senior libero
The El Paso High alum grew up around the program watching her older sister Erika play for the Miners. She arrived as a walk-on and transformed into a star defensive specialist and crowd favorite. Sianez leads the team with 388 digs this year.
Torrance Lovesee, 5-11 sophomore outside hitter
UTEP's opponent Wichita State almost represents a hometown team for Lovesee, who came to El Paso from Leon, Kansas, a town of 699 people 40 miles from Wichita.
She sat out her first year at UTEP in 2021 due to a knee injury, and this year leads the team in kills with 333.
Sakira LaCour, 6-0 graduate middle blocker
Wallis didn't recruit LaCour when she was at Albuquerque Cleveland. But after LaCour evolved into a star at Oral Roberts, where she graduated, he grabbed her as she became the centerpiece of UTEP's most recent recruiting class.
She has 201 kills and 117 blocks this season.
Kaya Weaver, 6-2 sophomore middle blocker
UTEP's only first-team Conference USA selection, the Californian leads the Miners with 166 blocks and has added 221 kills.
Danika Washington, 5-11 junior middle blocker
The Fort Worth native is one of the few junior college transfers on the team, as she came from Vernon College. She has 132 blocks, second on the team, and 203 kills.
Marion Ovalle, 5-10 senior outside hitter
The Juarez native grew up playing El Paso club volleyball and watching the Miners. She went to New Mexico Military Institute where she mastered English and gained Division I eligibility. She has 210 kills and 64 blocks.
Kalia Kohler, 5-7 freshman setter
She has made a smooth transition to college volleyball from Alpine High School. She leads UTEP with 631 assists.
Mattie Gantt, 5-11 sophomore setter
Part of UTEP's two-setter rotation, the Aledo native has 397 assists.
Madison Hill, 5-6 junior defensive specialist
The Eldorado grad has 14 aces and 266 digs.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP volleyball: Meet players heading to NIVC title vs. Wichita State
