Utah Volleyball Completes 2022 Roster With Addition of Grace Hammond

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah volleyball program has signed transfer Grace Hammond, an Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team selection last season, to complete the 2022 roster. Hammond joins the Utes as a rising sophomore after playing her first collegiate season at Rhode Island as the starting setter.

"We couldn't be more pleased to have Grace Hammond join our program this fall," said head coach Beth Launiere. "She comes to our team with a year of collegiate setting experience and played for a great club program (Triangle) in North Carolina. She is a great competitor, and will make our gym and team better every day." 

The 6'2" setter from Summerfield, N.C., was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week twice in the fall of 2021 before being named to the All-Rookie Team. Hammond averaged 7.70 assists per set and led the team with 10 double-doubles. She posted a career-best 49 assists against Fordham in the final match of the season, while she recorded a career-best 16 digs versus Davidson.

She led the team and the conference with 42 service aces (0.39 per set), which is the program's fifth-best single season total in the rally scoring era. Hammond posted a career-high six service aces in a four-set win over Rider and recorded two or more aces in 12 matches last season. Hammond also collected 234 digs, 67 kills and 56 blocks during her freshman season at Rhode Island.

Prior to entering the college scene, Hammond was a three-year team captain for her high school squad at Northwest Guilford, and was also a team captain on her club team. She was an AVCA High School All-Region selection in 2020 and was a two-time Metro 4A All-Conference First Team honoree (2018-19) after earning honorable mention status in 2017. Hammond was named to the AVCA's Phenom List from 2017-19 and was a PrepVolleyball Soph 79 Honorable Mention selection during her illustrious high school career.

Hammond joins fellow rising sophomore transfers Lauren Jardine and Courtney Oilar to the 2022 roster, as well as incoming freshmen Ashley West, Iliana Linahan, KJ Burgess, and Viktoria Wahlgren to round out the group of newcomers.