Two Local High School Volleyball Stars Sign to Play For UNI

Two local high school volleyball stars will play college volleyball for the University of Northern Iowa.

University of Northern Iowa head volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen announced the signing of four student-athletes in all will become members of the Panther volleyball squad in 2018. Two of those recruits just wrapped up their stellar Cedar Valley high school careers with an Iowa High School Volleyball State Championship.

TAYAH MAHI:

Mahi led Cedar Falls High School to its first-ever volleyball state championship in 2017. Mahi was named the captain of the 5A all-tournament team following the state title. Mahi is a candidate for the PrepVolleyball Iowa Player of the Year award.

She tallied more than 4,000 career assists and led the state of Iowa in assists per set as a senior. As a junior in 2016, she earned unanimous first-team all-state honors and was named to the IGCA Elite Volleyball Team. She earned second-team all-state and first-team all-conference accolades in 2015 in leading Cedar Falls to a state semifinal appearance.

As a beach volleyball competitor she was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the USA Junior Beach Tour National Championship. Her squad placed 10th at the USA HP National Beach Championships in Hermosa Beach. She also helped her team to a ninth-place tally at the BVCA 16U National Championships at Hermosa Beach . She is the daughter of Kalani and Chris Mahi.

BAYLEE PETERSEN:

Petersen is fresh of a Class 2A Iowa High School Volleyball State Championship for Dike-New Hartford.  She was also on the 2014 & 2016 state championship roster for the Wolverines. Petersen earned AVCA/Under Armour Honorable Mention All-America honors as a senior. The Dike, Iowa native was named to the Class 2A all-tournament team following the state championship in 2017. She earned first-team all-state honors in 2016 after posting second-team all-state status in 2015.

Petersen has lettered in five sports at Dike-New Harftford High School in volleyball (4), basketball (2), soccer (2), softball (1) and track (1). She is a two-time all-conference performer in basketball. Petersen is an honor roll student. She is the daughter of Duane and Bobbi Petersen.

Partial Contributed: UNI Athletics Media Relations