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Justin Wong is in a unique position among the rest of Fort Lewis College’s fall coaches.
Wong is the lone first-year head coach for a Skyhawks fall sports team. He was hired in early March and replaced Giedre Tarnauskaite, who compiled a 43-69 record over her five seasons at FLC.
Since Wong is new on the job, most of the incoming freshmen and transfers were not recruited by him. This is a unique situation for Wong as the lone new coach for FLC in the fall who doesn’t know his returners or offseason acquisitions very well yet.
Regardless, the “Offseason Acquisitions” series continues by The Durango Herald as the Skyhawks volleyball program brings in seven new players and a new assistant coach.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Wong said about his newcomers. “Most of the this class coming in was recruited by the previous coaching staff. So I got to see them a little bit, mostly on video, but I got to see some of the freshmen live this past club season. That was very helpful. Then, bringing them onto campus for camp, that was good too. So I got a little bit of glimpses here and there.”
Five of the seven newcomers were recruited by Tarnauskaite and her staff.
Freshman Alyx Daugherty is a defensive specialist from Mesa, Arizona, who attended Highland High School. Daugherty was a three-year team captain in high school and was named the region’s defensive player of the year.
Arianna Reyna is a freshman setter from Forney, Texas, who was a team captain at Forney High School. She was first team all-district as a senior.
The other freshman Tarnauskaite signed was outside hitter Cambria Freymuth from Carrollton, Texas. At 6-feet tall, Wong expects Freymuth to contribute at both pins.
Tarnauskaite also brought in two transfers in sophomore Adalyn Garn and junior Ellie Ames. Garn is a sophomore setter from Gilbert, Arizona, who started her collegiate career at Southern New Hampshire University. Ames is a junior middle blocker from Delta who started her collegiate career at Trinidad State College. In high school, Ames was named the 3A Western Slope League Player of the Year.
Wong hasn’t discussed the team’s style of play yet with the newcomers. He thinks it’ll be more of a feeling out process once they get on campus and he’s working with them on a normal basis. He’s happy to have these players on board and has liked what he’s seen so far.
The two players Wong did bring in are freshman outside hitter Caleigh Sommers and freshman middle blocker/right side Caroline Munson.
Sommers, from Castle Rock, Colorado, reached out to Wong in the spring. Munson, from Gilbert, also went to Highland High School with Daugherty. She had already been on a visit to FLC before Wong was hired. He saw her play live and liked her quickness and ability to play two positions.
The final offseason acquisition for Wong and the program wasn’t a player, but a coach. Logann Golden was announced by FLC as Wong’s assistant coach in late June. Golden finished her five-year career as a defensive specialist at Division I Washington State in 2024.
“I'm very excited,” Golden said. “I've been able to work with a little bit of our group this summer. Some of them were here for camps so that was a lot of fun getting to know them. But, I'm really excited just to see the rest of the crew and see how they mesh together.”
Self-described as a quiet leader, Golden enjoys watching the game and strategizing against opponents with her knowledge and ability to depict the game.
Wong reached out to his coaching buddies as he was looking for an assistant coach. He talked with a lot of coaches, but Golden’s eagerness and hunger to get into the college coaching game stuck out. Her playing ability will also help in the role.
“Sometimes you need someone to show you how to do it,” Wong said. “She's also another arm the gym, meaning, coach-initiated drills, basically dropping the hammer for our defensive players that get some reps. So now I've got not just myself, but her. Because she's fairly young, she can connect a lot; she gives me a lot of good feedback and advice about what she thinks the players might be thinking.”
The Skyhawks begin practice on Aug. 18 and begin their season in Silver City, New Mexico, on Sept. 5 against New Mexico Highlands as part of the Western New Mexico University Invite.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
