One of the nation’s most prolific attackers last fall will join the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team for the coming season.
The Rainbow Wahine on Friday announced the signing of 6-foot-2 pin hitter Paula Guersching as a transfer from Youngstown State, where she was named the Horizon League Player of the Year last season.
Originally from Schwalbach am Taunus, Germany, Guersching was also named to the AVCA All-Northeast Region first team and was the Penguins’ first AVCA All-America honorable mention selection. She will have two seasons of eligibility at UH and is among three outside hitters joining the roster for the fall.
“Paula adds depth, experience and maturity that will make an immediate impact in our program,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said in the announcement. “We feel that she is a perfect fit when it comes to our team culture and family.”
Guersching finished last season ranked third in the nation with 5.24 kills and 5.87 points per set and placed fifth with 12.84 attacks per set. She posted at least 20 kills in 16 matches and went over 30 five times. She set program records with 35 kills in 87 attempts in a five-set loss to Northern Kentucky on Oct. 15, claimed the school’s single-season record with 576 total kills and became YSU’s fastest player to reach 1,000 kills, finishing with 1,006 over two seasons.
She also posted double-digit digs in 14 matches with a high of 24 (to go along with 25 kills) against Cleveland State.
Guersching, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree, joins 5-foot-11 freshman outside hitters Stella Adeyemi and Tali Hakas in the class of newcomers for the three-time defending Big West champion Rainbow Wahine. Middle blocker Jacyn Bamis, a transfer from Clemson, enrolled at UH for the recently completed spring semester.
The Wahine return All-Big West first-team pick Riley Wagoner and conference Freshman of the Year Caylen Alexander at outside hitter. Tiffany Westerberg, who started every match at middle blocker last season, saw time at opposite and outside hitter in spring practices and the scrimmages with Minnesota in March.
Senior outside hitter Chandler Cowell recently announced that she tore her ACL during a practice prior to the team’s trip to Brazil. The King Kekaulike graduate completed her collegiate volleyball career with the UH beach volleyball team at the NCAA Tournament in Alabama in May.
