Kayla Banwarth Team USA Biography
Kayla Banwarth begins her second season as a volunteer assistant with Pepperdine men’s volleyball in 2016-17. She joined the Waves on the sidelines in December of 2015.
In her premier season for the Waves, Banwarth helped the team to a 13-11 overall record and 12-10 record within Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. She coached the team to a 7-5 record at home and a 6-6 record on foreign soil. Primarily focusing on liberos, she led the back line to rank 36th nationally with 7.69 digs/set throughout the season. Starting libero Weston Barnes ranked 30th in the nation and 6th in the MPSF with 2.02 digs/set this season.
She has been the starting libero for USA Volleyball since 2011 and will anchor Team USA in the 2016 Olympic Games. The Olympic Games will run from August 5 to August 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this year.
She has previously garnered Best Receiver status at the 2015 NORCECA Championship. Last season, Banwarth helped Team USA to a gold at the FIVB World Grand Prix and the NORCECA Championship, while leading the team to a bronze medal at the FIVB World Cup.
In 2014, she aided USA to an FIVB World Championship title. She ranked 9th in the Best Digger category at the FIVB World Grand Prix and started in 11 of 13 matches at libbero during the World Championships, finishing with a 2.16 dig average after 37 sets played.
In 2013 she was named USA Volleyball’s Female Indoor Most Improved Player of the Year and in 2012 and 2013, led the team to gold medals in consecutive Pan American Cups. Also in 2013, she tabbed the No. 2-spot in the Best Digger categoryat the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup after posting 3.19 digs/set. In her first international competition in 2011, Banwarth helped USA to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games.
Originally from Dubuque, Iowa, Banwarth attended University of Nebraska where she majored in English and graduated in 2012. She finished her four-year stint at Nebraska with 1,706 digs, ranking No. 1 as Nebraska’s all-time digs leader. Throughout her career, she earned All-Big 12 honorable mention status twice, while picking up an All-Big 12 Academic first team honor in 2009 and second team honor in 2010. Also throughout her tenure, the libero picked u[ five all-tournament team selections and one MVP selection as the LSU Tiger Classic Defensive MVP.
