Alianza Darley was a fitting first recruit in the Ben Wallis era.
The junior hitter/middle blocker on the UTEP volleyball team has always been a surpassing athlete, but three years ago when her college choices came into focus, Darley didn't consider herself a volleyball player.
UTEP wasn't much as a volleyball program then, but it had a new coach with a vision. That included stocking the team with athleticism Wallis could mold and turn into something better.
That's happened with a UTEP volleyball team preparing for its first postseason tournament this weekend when it plays Tulsa in Fort Collins, Colo.