Volleyball: SHS grad Balkan signs on at North Dakota school

Taylor Balkan, a first-team all-league setter for Sequim High and star at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore., will play on at Valley City State University in North Dakota in the fall.

A former Wolf is continuing her career on the volleyball court.

 

Taylor Balkan, a first-team all-league setter for Sequim High and star at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore., will play on at Valley City State University in North Dakota in the fall.

Valley City State coach Adam Longmore announced the addition of Balkan, a 5-foot 7-inch setter and 2013 Sequim High grad, to VCSU’s roster for the 2015 season last week.

“Taylor comes to us from a consistently successful program at Clackamas,” Longmore said. “There is something to be said for a setter coming in with that kind of experience. She has all the attributes you look for in a setter. We are excited to have her in the gym with us and she is going to heighten our level of play.”

Balkan averaged 5.26 assists per set as she helped Clackamas to a 37-13 overall record and a 10-0 record in division play in 2014. She was named an all-league honorable mention. The Cougars finished fourth in the Northwest Athletic Conference in 2014 and seventh in 2013.

Balkan plans to study math education while at Valley City State, school officials said.

“Taylor helps us off the court just as much as she does on the court,” Longmore said. “She is highly committed to her academics, holds herself to high standards and is genuinely a great person. She is exactly the type of individual we are looking for in our program.”

Balkan is the daughter of Becky Stanton and Scott Balkan.

Valley City State University finished last season 15-18 in Longmore’s first year as head coach, tying the program’s most wins in a season since 2006.

The Vikings compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and play their conference games in the North Star Athletic Association.