Position Breakdown: Libero/Defensive Specialists

SALT LAKE CITY – Heading into next season, Utah volleyball will look to fill the libero spot for the first time in four years after Brianna Doehrmann graduated.
 
Doehrmann was a four-year starter and set a new career digs mark for Utah last season.
 
Looking ahead, Utah has six defensive specialists looking to step up and fill that libero role. Three of those saw action last year in Sarah Stephens, Emily Smith and Alexa Van Komen.
 
Van Komen brings the most experience out of that group as she's entering her redshirt junior year. Stephens and Smith enter their sophomore seasons and filled in last season as needed. Van Komen played in 13 matches a season ago totaling 18 digs. Stephens saw action in 18 matches and had 40 digs, and Smith played in 11 matches.
 
Smith started one match last season at setter against Arizona State and had 35 assists, 13 digs and seven kills in the three-set win for Utah.
 
Utah also has four players that are vying for their first collegiate action. Naya Dong redshirted last season and Sommer Daniel and Vanessa Ramirez.
 
Daniel comes in from Tipton, Iowa and could play some setter as well.