Bengal setter White opts to play for St. Mary's

Brighton High setter Missy White was interested in St. Mary's college after talking to an assistant coach who saw her play as a sophomore. Unfortunately, the team didn't need a setter who graduated in 2008, so White listened to other offers.

Then the small, private California school's setter decided not to play volleyball at all, and suddenly the school was an option again.

"I visited St. Mary's during the season and I loved it," said the 6-1 junior who helped the Bengals win their first volleyball title earlier this month. She considered several schools in the Pac-10, Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences. She hoped to go to a challenging academic school, as well as play a Carl McGowan-style of volleyball, she said.

St. Mary's offers both advantages.

"I really enjoyed the school," she said. "After I visited I decided to wait a little while before deciding. Then I thought, 'What am I waiting for?' It's a relief ... and now I can just focus on getting better now that I've chosen my school."

Interestingly, White's Bengal teammate Krista Kelley will play at Santa Clara next season, which is in the same conference as St. Mary's. White is also in the process of transferring to Waterford School, a private 3A school, because it offers more advance placement classes for the aspiring psychologist.

Two Utah county volleyball players will continue to play just a few miles from home. Lone Peak's Christie Carpenter and Lehi's Christina Measom both signed with BYU last week.

Lone Peak basketball standout Caitlin Sears signed with SUU last week as well.

CHANGE FOR WEST: Highland High boys basketball coach Keith West dropped his appeal of a decision by the Utah High School Activities Association to punish him for undue influence as the UHSAA agreed to change the suspension of games from four to two. West will also be on probation for one year.

The UHSAA panel ruled that West's decision to play eighth-graders, several from outside the Rams' boundaries, in Highland uniforms in a spring tournament constituted undue influence. The change in penalty was made after UHSAA officials acknowledge they didn't have any evidence of West contacting the students.