Volleyball Adds Haggerty, Kalahar in Early Signing Period

by YSU

Thursday, Nov 19, 2015 12:31 pm

Youngstown State head volleyball coach Mark Hardaway is excited to announce that Valor Haggerty and Erin Kalahar have signed a National Letter of Intent in the early signing period to attend Youngstown State University starting in the 2016-17 academic year.

Haggerty is a 5-foot-11 middle blocker from McKinney, Texas, and Kalahar is a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Jackson, Mich.

"I am very pleased and excited to have Valor and Erin join our program," Hardaway said. "We hit the trifecta with these two student-athletes. Both have good character, are strong students and are tremendous athletes. Their desire to be good and their athleticism should allow them to compete right away in the gym. They both can play multiple positions and have positive attitudes, and I can't wait for them to join our volleyball family."

Haggerty was named to the MaxPreps Player to Watch List of 2015-16 as a senior at McKinney Boyd High School. She is one of three players on Boyd's team who signed to play at a Division I program.

"Valor is undersized for a middle, but she reminds me a lot of (former Penguin and Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year) Jenna Cavanaugh," Hardaway said. "She is very quick off the floor when she jumps and moves laterally really well. She is mobile and has a fast arm and can attack from anywhere along the net. Valor is a team player and will work extremely hard to get better. She plays for a very competitive Mad Frog club team in Texas, which will have her ready to play at our level right away."

Kalahar is a three-sport star at Lumen Christi Catholic High School who had 401 kills, 230 digs, 147 blocks and 45 aces as a senior. In her three-year career, she posted 1,012 kills, 578 blocks, 321 digs and 71 aces. She has earned all-conference and all-area accolades in volleyball, and she earned academic all-conference honors in volleyball, basketball and softball.

"Erin hasn't begun to tap her potential as a volleyball player," Hardaway said. "She jumps well and has a strong arm. Despite only being 5-foot-10, her ability to play high above the net is what originally drew our attention to Erin. She hasn't played club volleyball, which is why we feel her ceiling to improve is so high."

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