LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head volleyball coach Rob Neilson announced three signings on Wednesday. The Aggies will welcome in Ava (AC) Gibbs (The Woodlands, Texas), Taytum Nelson (Orem, Utah) and Madi Rich (Highland, Utah) for the 2026 season.

"We are very excited about our 2026 class," Neilson said. "With so many sophomores we didn't need a lot of players, but found three with the character, talent and skills to contribute immediately to our gym. We are thrilled to welcome Taytum, AC and Madi to the Aggie family!"

Taytum Nelson, a 6-foot-6 middle blocker, joins the Aggies out of Pleasant Grove (Utah) High School where was a four-year letterwinner and led the Vikings to a second-place finish in the UHSAA 5A State Tournament as a junior and a run to the semifinals her senior year. Nelson posted a .372 hitting percentage and 101 total blocks as a senior, ranking seventh and ninth in the state, respectively, and totaled 208 kills on a 2.1 per-set average. Nelson earned 6A all-state honorable mention and 6A Region 3 first-team honors as a junior before earning 5A all-state second-team honors as a senior. For her career at Pleasant Grove HS, Nelson tallied over 521 kills on a .332 hitting percentage and accrued 287 blocks, 81 digs and 38 service aces.

Nelson also played at the club level for Elevate Athletics, helping the team to nationals the past two years. Nelson won the Salt Lake Triple Crown with Elevate Athletics 17s team and placed third on the 16s team.

"Taytum will be a force at the net," Neilson said. "She can take up space defensively and has the arm swing ability to hit any shot needed offensively. She has the potential to be an elite middle blocker, not just in the Pac-12, but nationally. She is fun loving and will be an amazing addition to our culture. Aggie fans will love watching the new tallest athlete in our gym!"

AC Gibbs, a 5-6 libero/defensive specialist, comes to Utah State out of The Woodlands (Texas) High School where she helped lead the team to the regional semifinals at the 6A D1 state tournament as a junior, the regional quarterfinals as a sophomore and another regional tournament berth as a senior. This past season, Gibbs totaled 909 digs, ranking second in the nation, averaging 7.2 per set while adding 66 aces and 167 assists. She topped 20 digs in 23 matches this past season, including a career-high of 48. For her career at The Woodlands HS, Gibbs has recorded 1,647 digs, averaging 4.4 per set, alongside 228 assists and 156 aces. She earned AVCA All-Region 4 honors in 2025.

Gibbs also played at the club level for TAV Houston, ranked as the 37th-best club in the nation according to usclubrankings.com. Gibbs was named the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year while at TAV Houston, and helped the club to national division and American division medals in 24-25.

"The best word to describe AC as a player is fearless, and that's high praise for a libero," Neilson said. "She is outstanding in serve/receive and is extremely special defensively. Culturally, AC brings people together. She has a special ability to connect with coaches and teammates and has been a respected leader on all of her teams. We are so excited to get her to Logan."

Madi Rich, a 6-1 opposite side and outside hitter, joins USU out of Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, where she helped the team win three 6A state championships during her career, plus a quarterfinal run at the UHSAA 6A state tournament as a senior. This past season, Rich totaled 240 kills while hitting .283 and adding 45 blocks, 110 digs and 12 aces. She hit .300 or better in 12 matches this season, including a season-high .833 against Corner Canyon HS, and hit double-digit kills in nine contests. For her career at Lone Peak HS, Rich hit .235 and amassed 433 kills, 68 blocks and 165 digs, and was named a top-10 player for the class of 2026 in Utah.

At the club level, Rich helped her team to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 USAV Nationals in the open division. Rich has recorded two top-10 finishes in the open division at the USAV Nationals in her career and five in the top 20. She was named first-team all-tournament at the 2025 Triple Crown and second-team all-tournament at the 2025 Nationals in Dallas.

"Madi has played at a very high level in club and high school," Neilson said. "She has a great understanding of the game, a powerful arm and a great ability to control the ball. Madi LOVES Utah State. She had lots of opportunities in the recruiting process, but coming to Logan fulfilled a longtime dream. She will provide immediate depth and competition in our gym at both pins."

Up Next
The Aggies head out for their final road matches of the regular season, first taking on Fresno State on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. (MT), before facing San Jose State on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. (MT).

Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by contacting the USU Ticket Office at 435-797-0305.

Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.

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