BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M volleyball team added redshirt sophomore middle blocker Kaia Castle to the 2026 roster, head coach Jamie Morrison announced Tuesday.
 
A transfer from Ohio State, Castle joins the Aggies following a productive debut season with the Buckeyes. The middle blocker racked up 200 kills, averaging 1.94 per set. She eclipsed the double-digit kill mark seven times and reached her career-high of 12 twice versus Miami Ohio and Oregon.
 
“We value speed at the middle blocker position and it’s rare to see someone with Kaia’s length who can move the way she does,” coach Morrison said. “Beyond the physical tools, she is an incredible human. I truly enjoyed every part of the recruiting process with Kaia and can’t wait to have her here in Aggieland.”
 
Defensively the Buffalo, Minnesota, native recorded 91 blocks on the year, including a staggering 15 in Ohio State’s five-set win over Troy which broke the program’s single-match block record. She surpassed five or more blocks in five separate contests and reached double-digits twice. Her variety of scoring earned her 253 points this season.
 
Along with her success on the court, Castle is a standout in the classroom as she was named to the 2025 Academic All-Big Ten list and was tabbed an OSU Scholar Athlete.
 
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont Volleyball signs Michigan State transfer Mya Bolton to its roster ahead of the upcoming spring season. 

A sophomore defensive specialist/libero from Shawnee, Kansas, Bolton will wear jersey No. 12, becoming Belmont Volleyball’s first spring 2026 transfer. 

Bolton brings valuable experience to Nashville after spending her first two collegiate seasons with the Spartans in the Big Ten. During the 2025 season, she earned Academic All-Big Ten honors while appearing in 53 sets across 22 matches, totaling 35 digs, including a season-high 10 digs at Iowa (Oct. 24). 

As a freshman in 2024, Bolton appeared in 55 sets over 21 matches, making one start as a defensive specialist. She finished the season with 59 digs, averaging 1.07 digs per set, and recorded a season-high 12 digs against Illinois (Oct. 12). 

Prior to Michigan State, Bolton was a standout at the prep level, earning Second Team AVCA All-American honors as a senior. She was named Second Team All-State in 2023, First Team All-State in 2022, and Second Team All-State in 2021. Bolton was ranked the No. 127 overall recruit by PrepVolleyball and the No. 16 defensive specialist/libero, while PrepDig ranked her No. 134 overall nationally. 

Bolton joins the Bruins’ Class of 2028, adding experience, consistency, and depth to Belmont’s back row. 

GRAND FORKS — UND has its new volleyball coach.

The Fighting Hawks have hired David Nguyen from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

He replaces Jesse Tupac, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the season.

Nguyen brought Fairleigh Dickinson to the NCAA tournament in 2022 and won the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship in 2023.

Nguyen was named NEC coach of the year twice in four seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson.

His teams went 9-5, 11-3, 11-3 and 12-4 in the NEC. Before his arrival, Fairleigh Dickinson went 3-11, 2-6, 3-13, 0-14, 1-13 and 1-13 in the NEC.

“What he has been able to do at FDU was nothing short of remarkable in such a short amount of time,” UND athletic director Bill Chaves said. “To be a two-time NEC Coach of the Year and leading the Knights into the NCAA tournament for the first time in their history is something that he and we believe can be replicated at UND.”

Nguyen will have a similar rebuilding project at UND.

The Fighting Hawks have posted eight consecutive losing seasons as the program spiraled from a strong mid-major under Ashley Hardee (2009-13) and Mark Pryor (2014-18) to a floundering team in the Summit League.

UND went 7-20 and 4-12 in the Summit last season. It has not yet won a match at the Summit League tournament since joining the conference in 2018.

“My mission is to provide our student-athletes a first-class experience by being competitive on and off the court,” Nguyen said. “We are going to work together to build a legacy our student-athletes, alumni, fans and donors can be proud of. I am excited to take this next step in my career, and I look forward to building a volleyball family at North Dakota.”

This will be Nguyen’s first coaching venture out West.

He attended Virginia Commonwealth University from 2013-18, serving as team manager. He was the director of operations at Virginia from 2018-19.

Nguyen was hired as an assistant coach at William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., from 2019-21. He served as an assistant at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C., from 2021-22, before heading to Fairleigh Dickinson in Madison, N.J.

UND has a tie with Fairleigh Dickinson. Chaves’ son, Derek, is a graduate assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson this year.

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.

1. Natalia Valentin-Anderson – 436 assists (11.73 per set)

Natalia Valentin-Anderson led the league with 436 total assists and 11.73 assists per set in her fourth AU season. The veteran setter earned 431 of her 2,502 leaderboard points from the assist category alone while serving as captain in Weeks Two and Three and finishing sixth overall.

Valentin-Anderson’s season-high 46 assists came in Week Three versus Team Thompson. Her ability to run the offense while maintaining elite defensive production set her apart. She ranked fourth in the league with 130 digs despite playing the setter position. She extended her own AU Pro Volleyball Championship record by recording her 37th career double-double, including a league-high sixth double-double this season after posting 28 assists and 14 digs. Her well-rounded performance earned her a spot on the 2025 All-Position Team for the second time in her career.

 

2. Sydney Hilley – 305 assists (9.84 per set)

Sydney Hilley ranked second in the league with 9.84 assists per set and 305 total assists. The former Wisconsin standout finished 10th overall with 2,226 leaderboard points while proving to be one of the most consistent setters in the competition.

Hilley reached her season-high mark of 36 assists twice: once in Week One and again in Week Three. She also contributed defensively with 90 digs (2.9 per set) and added 14 kills. 

Madi Bugg – 274 assists (9.13 per set)

Madi Bugg ranked fifth in the league with 9.13 assists per set and tallied 274 total assists across the season. She earned 270 stat points from the assist category while finishing with 2,010 total leaderboard points.

Bugg’s season-high 46 assists came during Week Two against Team Valentin-Anderson in a performance where she also added nine digs. She proved reliable in the back row as well, recording 85 digs (2.83 per set) throughout the championship. 

 

Micha Hancock – 242 assists (9.80 per set)

Micha Hancock ranked third in the league with 9.80 assists per set while recording 242 total assists over 10 matches. She earned 243 stat points from assists and also lived up to her reputation as a setter who can also attack.

Hancock registered 17 kills with her sneaky lefty swing and posed a threat even when she wasn’t dishing the ball to one of her attackers. Her season-high 42 assists came in Week  Two versus Team Hentz. She also added 65 digs (2.6 per set).

Marlie Monserez – 210 assists (7.5 per set)

Marlie Monserez made the top 15 on the leaderboard in her second AU season, finishing with 1,402 leaderboard points. She recorded 210 total assists at 7.5 per set while adding 62 digs (2.21 per set) across 12 matches.

Monserez’s season-high came in Week Three versus Team Valentin-Anderson when she posted 37 assists. Whether she came in as a serving sub or a starting setter, her ability to impact the energy on the court was apparent throughout the competition.

 

Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.