By Calvin Jensen, USU Eastern Sports Information Contributor
USU Eastern volleyball sophomore standout Kiara Richardson recently earned the coveted All-American Award from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Richardson ended her junior college career with an impressive 415 kills, averaging 3.32 kills per set and a hitting percentage of .212%. She played a huge role in USU Eastern’s record-breaking year, helping the Lady Eagles end the season with a 27-9 record and propelling the team to the Region 18 Scenic West Athletic Conference championship game. Richardson is the first All-American to come out of a USU Eastern volleyball program.
“We knew there was something special the minute we watched Kiara play while recruiting in Las Vegas,” said head coach Danielle Jensen. “She has been an amazing leader on and off the court and has been a big part of energizing our team to be ‘all in’ this season. Not only is Kiara a talented athlete and teammate, she is one of the kindest and most thoughtful people that I know. I am grateful to have been able to coach her and build a friendship with her that will last a lifetime.”
Richardson is currently working on her nursing degree and is in the recruiting process with several four-year universities in hopes of continuing her volleyball career.