Cowgirl Volleyball and Tennis Reveal New Additions

The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball and tennis teams both announced new recruits coming into their programs this fall.

Cowgirl Volleyball

Head coach Chad Callihan revealed Kiahlei Yaste from Sheridan College. The 5’8 defensive specialist will have two years of eligibility with the team. She helped the Generals to a second place finish in the Region IX tournament last fall. Yaste finished with 288 digs in the 2017 season. She also had 143 kills, 21 aces and 37 blocks. In her freshman season, Yaste contributed 174 digs, as well as, 241 kills, 19 aces and 47 blocks.

Associate head coach Dan Georgalas referenced Yastes’ ability in a need area for Wyoming volleyball in a released statement from UW.

“Kiahlei is a versatile player who will be a great addition to our backcourt. Her ability to pass and defend will provide depth in an area that we struggled at sometimes last season. Being a local player, I know she will come in to our program with a blue collar work ethic and show pride in wearing the Brown and Gold. We look forward to the addition of her energy and ball control skills to our gym.”

Yaste is originally from Greeley, CO and a 2016 graduate of University High School. She joins Jaiden Chase (Lenexa, Kan.), Carlie Fikse (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Marissa Hines (Olathe, Kan.) and Kailey McMahon (Fountain Hills, Ariz.), who signed back in November as the new additions to Cowgirl volleyball.

Cowgirl Tennis

Head coach Dean Clower unveiled five new foreign players that will join Wyoming tennis this fall.

They include Ana Royo, originally from Spain, who is transferring from Nebraska-Kearney. She is presently 7-2 in singles and 8-2 at the No. 1 doubles position during her sophomore season. Royo was the Freshman of the Year in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association last year and Second Team All-Conference. Royo went 20-4 in singles and 13-15 in doubles action as a freshman.

Another new player from Spain is Ana Fernandez, who ranks among the top five in the U18 region and in the Top 100 in the Spanish Open rankings. Mihaela Kaftanova is from Bulgaria. She was a Bulgarian U18 National Champion singles and doubles champion and had earned a women’s title in doubles. Ida Krause hails from Denmark and is ranked fourth in the U18 division and 17th overall. The final signee is Maria Oreshkina from Russia. She is ranked amongst the Top 100 Senior Women’s players in Russia, and last September, Oreshkina won a G5 doubles tournament in Bulgaria.

In a release from the university, head coach Dean Clower said he holds this class in high regard.

“This is by far one of the deepest recruiting classes we have signed during my tenure as head coach. “All of these young women are competitors and will be looking to get better each day they are here. I can’t wait to get on the courts with each of them to start their legacies at Wyoming.”

Wyoming tennis will complete its regular season Sunday, April 22 at Colorado State. The Mountain West Women’s Tennis Championships are April 26-29 in Boise, ID.