Incredible athleticism helps make American Fork's Tayler Tausinga a setting star

American Fork • Tayler Tausinga will be well-known on BYU’s campus in a few years if everything goes according to plan.

But she wouldn’t mind herself and her American Fork volleyball teammates gaining a little notoriety before the next step in her athletic career begins.

BYU took an early liking to Tausinga, and she committed to the school well over a year ago.

And there’s a reason her ability as a setter attracted the university.

When it comes to pure athleticism, American Fork coach Shantell Durrant hadn’t seen this kind on her past squads.

She’s been playing for me since she was a sophomore,” Durrant said. “I had her sister [Tristan Tausinga] before her. Her sister was athletic, but not nearly as athletic as Tayler. She just has some awesome genetics and she works really, really hard.”

But fans who follow Utah prep volleyball don’t necessarily know Tausinga that well.

While American Fork has been a decent team over the past three years, the Cavemen have been overshadowed by fellow region members.

Lehi beat Pleasant Grove for the Class 5A championship two years ago. American Fork struggled with those two, as well as Lone Peak and Riverton, in region and didn’t qualify for the state tourney.

Lone Peak defeated Pleasant Grove in the title match last season. American Fork, although eventually the winner of the 5A consolation bracket, had been eliminated and Tausinga watched the finale high in the stands at Utah Valley University.

This year, things didn’t get any easier. Perennial stalwart Bingham joined Region 4 when Class 6A was created.

“It is true — we’re kind of overlooked here at AF,” Tausinga said. “We don’t have a lot of power hitters, but I think we can still be a force in this region, especially at state.”

The Cavemen setter has reason for optimism, although her team has yet to beat Lone Peak, Pleasant Grove or Bingham with the season entering its last week before the postseason.

American Fork, ranked fourth in 5A behind those three times, lost at Bingham in five sets last week. Pleasant Grove survived a challenge by the Cavemen after winning the fifth set by a 19-17 score two weeks before.

“I think we’re very close. We don’t give up, that’s for sure,” Tausinga said. “We’re super-motivated and we want to work hard and get better.”

With plans to graduate in December, Tausinga wants to join BYU in the spring. By doing that, she’ll forgo other high school sports in which she’s regularly participated. She was on the varsity basketball and softball teams as a junior.

Tausinga is the second standout female athlete at American Fork with the same first name. Taylor Moeaki was The Tribune’s player of the year when the Cavemen won the girls’ basketball state title last spring.

But Tayler actually is not Tausinga’s real first name.

It seems that her father got to the birth certificate before mom did when Siale Tayler Tausinga was born.

“My mom wanted my first name to be Tayler. My dad is Tongan, my mom is white,” Tausinga said. “It’s kind of a funny story — my dad changed it at the last minute. My [older] siblings all have their middle name as their Tongan name.

“I love both names. I’ll go by either.”