PENSACOLA, Fla. - Coach Melissa Wolter announced the addition of four incoming freshmen who will enroll at West Florida and suit up for the Argos next season. The four are the foundation of the 2024 recruiting class ahead of Wolter's 21st season as head coach of UWF volleyball. 
 
"We couldn't be more excited about the 2024 recruiting class," Wolter said. "This group is talented, driven, excellent students and fit our culture perfectly. We wanted a positionally balanced class to help build a great foundation for the future of UWF Volleyball and we found that in Kaylin, Olivia, Taylor and Magdalena. All four of these young ladies helped take their team to the 2023 State Tournament and each one of them garnered very high honors in high school and club. All they know is winning."
 
Kaylin Johnson is a 6'2" outside hitter from Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee, Fla., who just finished playing in the state semifinals and has also played for Tallahassee Volleyball Academy at the club level. This year, she was nominated to the AVCA All-America Watch List and Big Bend Player Watchlist. In 2022, she was nominated for Team Florida, Tallahassee Player Of The Year, Chiles MVP and First Team for Big Bend Preps. Additionally, she received the Most Spirited award at Florida State University High School, where she played her first two years of high school, the "I Am Third" award at Kanakuk Sports Camp and the Academic Scholar Award at Chiles High School. 
 
Outside of school, Johnson is extremely active in her community. She currently watches foster kids every Friday for a mission called Ohana Night. She also served on a missionary team that worked to rebuild inner city homes and minister to children in the community center in Mobile, Ala. In Tallahassee, she works as a K-mentor for younger students at Florida State University School and serves in an outreach called Snack Pack for kids on free and reduced lunches. She also presently helps provide childcare for families throughout the week at her church.   
 
Johnson says, "I chose UWF because of its powerful, positive culture that not only strengthens the player in volleyball, but also as an individual. I loved that it was not only a strong competitive team, but it was a unified team that is working towards the same goal under the leadership of Coach Wolter. I also loved the high academics and how supportive the student body was of each other." 
 
Wolter says, "Kaylin is a pin hitter that has experience playing all 3 front line positions. She is long, explosive and very terminal and she has potential to play 6 rotations. I love Kaylin's upside and her drive to be great. She's definitely got potential to help us right away."
 
Olivia Kelly is a 5'9" setter out of Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala., whose season just concluded in the Elite Eight of the AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletic Association) championship. She helped her team win the Class 7A Area 5 regular season and tournament championships in a season that saw her win AVCA Third Team All-American while also playing for the Bama Elite club team. Kelly has now wrapped up a decorated high school career that saw her rack up 1769 assists heading into the Elite Eight. In each of the last two seasons, she placed on the AHSVCA (Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches Association) All-State First Team and Class 7A All-Area 5 Team. 
 
In 2023 alone, Kelly was rewarded for her play by placing on the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Best and Brightest First Team, the AL.com Top 25 A-List Seniors in coming in at No. 13, the AVCA All-America Watch List, and the Alabama North All-Star Volleyball Team while also earning the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award. In 2022, she was named to the All-County First Team, the AL.com All-Birmingham Region Team, the Florida-USA Volleyball Challenge All-Tournament Team and the AVCA Phenom Watch List while also receiving the distinction of AAU Academic All-American. 
 
In the classroom, she is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta while receiving the Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. She also served on the Alabaster Teen Council, National BETA Club and Key Club. 
 
Kelly says, "I chose West Florida because of the instant connection I felt with Coach Wolter and the team. Their values, enthusiasm, and competitive drive are exactly what I want to be a part of at the next level."
 
"Olivia played club with current UWF Volleyball player, Emily Breazeale," Wolter says. "I have watched Olivia a lot and she's going to be great for our program. She's super athletic, sets great tempo and location and is an excellent competitor. She plays the game differently than any setter we've had and we can't wait to help her reach her full potential." 
 
Taylor Teaman is a 5'8" libero out of Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla. A three-year varsity starter, she just finished leading her team in the state semifinals after reaching the quarterfinals in 2022. She has been the team leader in aces, digs, service rating and serve receive rating in each of the past two seasons. Earlier this year, she received River City Classic All-Tournament honors after being named to the All-Jacksonville Second Team and winning Trinity Christian Academy Defensive Player of the Year last season. 
 
No stranger to Wolter's program, Teaman won the UWF Elite Camp Defensive Wizard Award this past summer. She has played on the top teams at Jacksonville Skyline Club for six years. For her play at the club level in 2022-23, she was invited to the Team Florida Indoor Team Tryout and was named to the Prep Dig Florida Top 100 Players of 2024, coming in as the No. 6 libero in the state and No. 43 player overall. Here, she also led in aces, digs, service rating and serve receive rating on a team that qualified for USAV Nationals. 
 
Off the court, Teaman boasts a 4.6 weighted GPA and has received the President's Award for a 4.0 from 2021-23. In 2016 and 2018, she earned an FSA Math Perfect Score and won sixth place in the state in 2020 in the DECA Marketing Design contest. Outside of school, she has volunteered at the St. Francis Homeless Shelter in St. Augustine, Fla., and has worked over 200 hours as a volunteer at Jacksonville Skyline Juniors Volleyball Club coaching for youth programs and doing office work.  
 
When asked why she chose UWF, Teaman says, "I knew UWF was a great fit for me the moment I met Coach Wolter and the team at camp. It was obvious that she focuses on skill-based training while incorporating team play, so I know I will continue to learn and grow as a player with my teammates. Coach Wolter and her staff have produced a successful program with an amazing culture that I'm excited and proud to be a part of next season."
 
"Taylor came to camp last summer and quickly won over everyone in our gym," Wolter says. "The majority of her volleyball background was as an outside hitter, but she recently made the switch to libero. She's an excellent passer and has great defensive range as she's quick and she can touch 9'11". Having Taylor here will raise the level of volleyball in our gym."
 
Lastly, Magdalena Vongkasemsiri is a 6'2" middle blocker from Franklin Christian Academy in Murfreesboro, Tenn., who has just finished helping her team win the TSIAA (Tennessee State Independent Athletic Association) State Championship. For her play, she won TSIAA Division I MVP and third place on the AAU Premier 16U team. She was also recognized on the JVA Watchlist, AVCA Phenom List, TSIAA All-District Team and Southern Region High Performance Team. She plays at the club level with Tennessee Performance.  
 
In the classroom, Vongkasemsiri has been named a National Merit Commended Student, Civil Air Patrol TNWG Cadet of the Year and CyberStart Top Agent while also winning the Naval Horizons Essay Contest and receiving the Cap Academic Scholarship. On top of Civil Air Patrol, she is also a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and Women in Aviation. 
 
Vongkasemsiri says, "I chose UWF because the coaches are wonderful, the team is a family, and the academics are great! The campus is beautiful and it is close to the beach, with planes flying overhead all the time."
 
"Magdalena is a high level middle attacker and blocker," Wolter says. "Our program is known for using the middles in any situation and Mags fits that mold perfectly. She's not afraid of hard work, and is extremely positive.  We are expecting big things from Mags."
 
For more information, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the program at @UWFVolleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.