The final newcomer to Rocky Top is sophomore setter Taylor Johnson, a transfer from Long Beach State who attended high school at Chaparral High School in Temecula CA.

Her team struggled her freshman year, but despite that, according to PrepVolleyball.com “she did great things” for them, with 386 assists, 63 kills, 52 digs, and 23 aces in her first season. She was named All-Conference Second Team and was an honorable mention on PrepVolleyball’s top freshman in the country list. Her sophomore year she was named a team captain and team MVP — honors she would receive every remaining year of her high school career. She also again picked up All-Conference Second Team accolades.

After two losing campaigns, things turned around her junior year with the team getting their first winning season in several years. Johnson was named All-Conference and All-Valley First Team. Her senior year, the school earned a berth in the playoffs. She was again named All-Conference and All-Valley First Team. And PrepVolleyball added her to their Senior Aces list of the top 250 recruits in the country.

Johnson also plays beach volleyball. According to UT: she “was the 2011 AAU/USA Volleyball L.A. Open gold medal champion”, “AAU/USA Beach Volleyball Southern Pacific Champion”, “2009 AAU/USA Jr. Manhattan Beach Open Champion”, and “two-time Best of Beach Qualifier and three-time State Championship CBVA Qualifier”.

She didn’t get to see a lot of court time at Long Beach State. She played in four matches, including two matches vs perennial powerhouse Hawaii. In one of those matches Hawaii had a 24-20 set point before Johnson served five points in a row leading to LBSU eventually taking the frame.

Talking to the media before her senior year of high school she said, “Volleyball is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. I live, breathe and play volleyball. I never have an off season, so I am always working to get better.”

Her high school coach Pat Manning said: “She is an intense and competitive player who still has fun playing the game. That allows her to bounce back from mistakes.”

PrepVolleyball called her: “a lefty who hits with power and also sets”, an “effective dual threat”, and “a top beach player”.

In a video posted by UT yesterday, Johnson was asked her favorite thing about Tennessee: “I love the culture. I love how the fans get into it. I love our team, I love the teammates. I like how we come together as a team to play.”

photos from utsandiego.com / myvalleynews.com / longbeachstate.com