Two Lady Saint volleyball players signed national letters of intent Wednesday to play at four-year schools. Taryn Westerman, left signed with Midwestern State University while Amanda Savage signed with Newman University. They were joined by Seward volleyball coaches Alana Rowland and Bert Luallen.

Daily Leader photos/Earl Watt

By EARL WATT

• Daily Leader

The Seward County Lady Saints volleyball program continued its tradition of moving athletes to four-year schools Wednesday when Taryn Westerman and Amanda Savage signed their national letters of intent.

Liberal’s Westerman is moving on to Midwestern state University while Savage will  move back home to play for Newman University in Wichita.

After playing in front of local fans all her life, Westerman will make the move to the Div. II Lady Mustangs program in WIchita Falls, Texas.

“I’m excited,” she said at her signing ceremony Wednesday. “Seward has made me a better setter . I think that’s the No. 1 reason why they wanted me.”

Westerman is also looking forward to attending a larger school. Midwestern State has an average enrollment of 6,000 students.

“I’m anxious to be around a larger school,” she said. “It will be a new experience with more people.”

Savage didn’t come from a very competitive program in high school and had to make adjustments to the college game.

“It was really competitive here at Seward,” she said. “It’s a fast-paced game. It helped get me where I’m at with my game.”

Where Westerman was a setter, Savage was a defensive specialist for the Lady Saints, and she is looking forward to having her friends and family get to see her play in Wichita.

“I’m going back home,” she said.

Seward Head coach Bert Luallen recognized the skills the two players would be taking to their new schools.

“Taryn’s not only a setter, but with her size blocking is a strong point of hers as well,” he said. “That was a strength for us, and we will miss it.”

For Savage, Luallen said that she excelled on defense.

“I’m big on defense,” he said. “She was able to get the ball up for us, and she did a good job form the libro position. Both of these girls have made an impact on our program.”