PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State volleyball team just got stronger at the net, as Viking head coach Michael Seemann announced the signing of 6-2 middle blocker Taylor Hunter from CSUN Monday.
 
"Taylor has the experience and the skill set to be a very effective middle blocker for us," Seemann said of Hunter. "She is motivated to have a strong impact on this team and this conference. Offensively she has great vision and decision-making capabilities, which allows her to be a very effective attacker.
 
"It will be great to have her join us this spring to allow our team to develop cohesion as we prepare for the fall season."
 
Hunter follows the same path from CSUN to Portland State as former teammates Lauryn Anderson and Carisa Barron. Anderson spent her final year with the Vikings last fall when she was named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer and made the All-Big Sky second team. Barron joined the Vikings in January, and has been training with the team during winter term.
 
Hunter played in all 113 sets as a redshirt junior for CSUN last fall, and had only missed a handful of sets since her redshirt freshman season in 2021. She's averaged over 0.80 blocks per set each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 0.87 blocks per set in 2022. Offensively, Hunter set a career best with 1.94 kills per set this past fall, while hitting .201. Hunter hit a career-best .234 as a redshirt sophomore in 2022.
 
Hunter recorded six 10-kill matches this past fall, including the first double-double of her career. The double-double came when she had 14 kills on .609 hitting to go with 10 total blocks (3 solo, 7 assists) in a five-set loss to the University of Portland on Sept. 8, 2023.
 
Hunter set her career high for kills and blocks on back-to-back days as a redshirt sophomore. She opened with 17 kills on .727 hitting in a five-set match at Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 7, 2022, then followed up with 12 blocks in a five-set match at Long Beach State one day later on Oct. 8, 2022.

The Vikings should have impressive depth now at middle blocker as Hunter joins a group that includes four-year starter Ashleigh Barto, sophomore Naomi White and incoming freshman Reese Biesemeyer.
 

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Taylor Hunter, 6-2, RS-SR, MB, Simi Valley, Calif. (CSUN/Oak Park HS)
 
AT CSUN (2019-23)
Appeared in every match during her redshirt freshman, sophomore and junior seasons…Started all but a handful of matches…Averaged at least 0.80 blocks per set during all three seasons she played at CSUN…Averaged a career-best 0.87 blocks per set as a redshirt sophomore in 2022…Averaged a career-best 1.94 kills per set as a redshirt junior in 2022…Set her career highs for kills and blocks in back-to-back matches, recording 17 kills on .727 hitting in a five-set match at Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 7, 2022, then followed up with 12 blocks in a five-set match at Long Beach State on Oct. 8, 2022…Redshirted the 2019 season…2020 season was canceled by the Big West Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
OAK PARK HIGH SCHOOL
First-team all-league selection in 2017, as well as an All-Ventura County member…Three-year starter in high school….Named team captain as a senior in 2018…Finished her career with 794 kills on .347 hitting and 256 total blocks…Helped lead her team to Coastal Canyon championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018…Named Offensive Player of the Year in 2016.
 
PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS
Daughter of Tracie and Gene Hunter…Has a brother, Jordan…Lists her favorite sports team as the Los Angeles Clippers, her favorite actors as Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong'o, her favorite TV show as "The Office" and her favorite movie as "Toy Story"…Hopes to become a lawyer after graduating.