University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Fisher Signs Highest Rated Class in Program History
11/10/2022 9:50:00 AM | Volleyball
Panthers sign four top-ranked student athletes to the Class of 2023
PITTSBURGH -- Head Coach Dan Fisher has signed the highest rated incoming class in program history today, securing commitments from four top-ranked recruits to the 2023 class. All four student-athletes are rated in the Top 70 in their class, according to prepvolleyball.com resulting in the No. 8 ranked recruiting class in the nation.
"We believe in no uncertain terms, that this is our strongest recruiting class ever," Coach Fisher said. "All four signees are highly ranked and highly accomplished athletes that should have the Pittsburgh volleyball community extremely excited. And what's even more important, they are even better people. They value relationships, our team culture, the school and the city. We can't wait to start working with them!"
The class is comprised of four members. Two outside hitters, one right side and one setter with the capability of also playing as a right side hitter. Two of the signees will be coming from the Los Angeles area, along with a Texan from Plano, just north of Dallas, and a Hawai'ian from the island of O'ahu.
Torrey Stafford | Torrance, Calif. | Marymount HS | 6'2 | Outside Hitter | Sunshine LA
Torrey Stafford holds the highest ranking in the signing class, coming in at No. 12 on prepvolleyball's list and the fourth best outside hitter in the Class of 2023. She is the first Pitt signee to have earned a position on the Team USA youth national team, doing so as a member of the 2022 USA U-19 team that won a gold medal at the Pan American Cup over the summer, sweeping Brazil in the final match to finish, 5-0 in the tournament.
The 2021 Maxpreps Junior Player of the Year led her high school, Marymount HS, to a perfect 35-0 record and a California State Championship last season, only losing eight sets all season. Stafford was named 1st Team All CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) for her efforts, her second All-State selection, after earning second-team honors after her freshman season (2019).
"Pitt was the perfect fit for me to further my education, as well as compete at a high level," Stafford said. "I love the coaches, team culture, and city life!"
Stafford is also an impeccable student, awarded to the Principals Honor Roll. She is the daughter of Toykia and Kevin Stafford and the fourth of six children. She plans to study Communications at Pitt.
"Torrey is the first Pitt volleyball recruit that has represented Team USA on the youth national team in program history," Coach Fisher said. "She is also a California state champion. Torrey is highly touted and for good reason. She is a complete player that can pass, defend, block and, of course, has a big arm. She is a smooth player and has a great spirit on the court that draws people in."
Blaire Bayless | Plano, Texas | Plano West HS | 6'2 | Outside Hitter | Madfrog
Blaire Bayless joins Pitt as the No. 5-ranked recruit in her class from the volleyball hotbed of Texas and the No. 42-ranked recruit in the country according to prepvolleyball.com. She led her high school to a District 6-6A championship this season, earning district MVP honors after being named 1st-Team All-District in 2021 and the district Newcomer of the Year after her sophomore campaign. A member of the National Honors society, Bayless has proven to excel both on the court and in the classroom.
"This program is truly something special and I could not be more excited to be a part of it," Bayless said. "Pitt's incredible team culture and elite coaching staff reflect the program's success, and walking around campus, I knew this was where I wanted to be."
She is the daughter of Julie and Ken Bayless and the older sister of Blake and is still deciding which major she will pursue at Pitt.
"We feel that Blaire might be the steal of the 2023 class. What stands out about Blaire is her big arm, jump, and ability to score in all zones. She has made a big jump in her game this past year and we can't wait to get her in our gym. She is someone that can compete right away. Flat out, Blaire can crush the ball"
Olivia Babcock | Los Angeles, Calif. | Sierra Canyon HS | 6'4 | Opposite Hitter | Sunshine LA
Olivia Babcock, recently named AVCA First-Team High School All-American, was rated as the No. 43 recruit in the country for the Class of 2023 by prepvolleyball.com and No. 27 by prepdig.com. Babcock led her high school, Sierra Canyon, to its first-ever Division 1 girls volleyball championship just two days ago. She made a team-high 22 kills in the championship match. She was invited to the Team USA U-19 Training team with her club teammate and fellow Pitt signee, Stafford, and will be the first member of her family to play Division 1 athletics.
"The coaches and players were the most amazing and supportive group of people I've ever met," Babcock said. "I also want to play and practice volleyball at the highest level and I knew Pitt was the perfect place to do that."
She is the daughter of Dave and Katrina Babcock and has a twin sister named Natalie. She plans on studying Criminal Justice and psychology at Pitt.
"Olivia is fresh off of winning a CIF championship and is really an exciting player to watch," Coach Fisher said. "She has the ability to play high over the net, is a shutdown blocker, and the bigger the stage, the better she plays. What's even more exciting about her, is that she hasn't played volleyball that long. In our gym, we expect her to flourish and continue to realize her limitless potential."
Haiti Tautua'a | Wai'anae, Hawai'I | Wai'anae HS | 6'0 | Setter/Opposite | Spike and Serve
Haiti Tautua'a has been ranked the No. 1 recruit out of Hawai'i this year and the No. 66 player in her class according to prepvolleyball.com. The versatile talent was named to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Fab 15 in 2021 and has won back-to-back All-OIA West 1st Team Honors. She is a staple at the USA Volleyball NTDP and won the 2022 TransPacific Championships with her club, Spike and Serve.
"I chose Pitt because in the short time Coach Fisher has been with the Panthers, he has rapidly improved this program," Tautua'a said. "His knowledge, his humility and his ability to lead past and present women to success is what I want to be a part of."
She is the daughter of Francis and Brandy Tautua'a and the 5th oldest of 45 first cousins. Her older sister, Heipua is a sophomore at San Diego State. Haiti's middle name, Mata'itofe'ohevani means "the only pearl of heaven" in the Tongan.
"Haiti continues a strong line of Hawaiian setters at the University of Pittsburgh," Coach Fisher said. "She is one of the best setters in Hawaii and is a strong all-around player who can hit as well. Haiti is elite in terms of her hand strength and is a smooth mover to the ball. Haiti is excited to make Pittsburgh her second home and fans are sure to love her setting style and calming presence on the court."
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"We believe in no uncertain terms, that this is our strongest recruiting class ever," Coach Fisher said. "All four signees are highly ranked and highly accomplished athletes that should have the Pittsburgh volleyball community extremely excited. And what's even more important, they are even better people. They value relationships, our team culture, the school and the city. We can't wait to start working with them!"
The class is comprised of four members. Two outside hitters, one right side and one setter with the capability of also playing as a right side hitter. Two of the signees will be coming from the Los Angeles area, along with a Texan from Plano, just north of Dallas, and a Hawai'ian from the island of O'ahu.
2023 Class Rankings Breakdown
| Name | Prepvolleyball.com | Prepdig.com | Vballrecruiter.com |
| Torrey Stafford | No. 12 | No. 38 | 5 stars |
| Blaire Bayless | No. 42 | No. 59 | 5 stars |
| Olivia Babcock | No. 43 | No. 27 | 5 stars |
| Haiti Tautua'a | No. 66 | No. 32 | 4 stars |
Torrey Stafford | Torrance, Calif. | Marymount HS | 6'2 | Outside Hitter | Sunshine LA
Torrey Stafford holds the highest ranking in the signing class, coming in at No. 12 on prepvolleyball's list and the fourth best outside hitter in the Class of 2023. She is the first Pitt signee to have earned a position on the Team USA youth national team, doing so as a member of the 2022 USA U-19 team that won a gold medal at the Pan American Cup over the summer, sweeping Brazil in the final match to finish, 5-0 in the tournament.
The 2021 Maxpreps Junior Player of the Year led her high school, Marymount HS, to a perfect 35-0 record and a California State Championship last season, only losing eight sets all season. Stafford was named 1st Team All CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) for her efforts, her second All-State selection, after earning second-team honors after her freshman season (2019).
"Pitt was the perfect fit for me to further my education, as well as compete at a high level," Stafford said. "I love the coaches, team culture, and city life!"
Stafford is also an impeccable student, awarded to the Principals Honor Roll. She is the daughter of Toykia and Kevin Stafford and the fourth of six children. She plans to study Communications at Pitt.
"Torrey is the first Pitt volleyball recruit that has represented Team USA on the youth national team in program history," Coach Fisher said. "She is also a California state champion. Torrey is highly touted and for good reason. She is a complete player that can pass, defend, block and, of course, has a big arm. She is a smooth player and has a great spirit on the court that draws people in."
Blaire Bayless | Plano, Texas | Plano West HS | 6'2 | Outside Hitter | Madfrog
Blaire Bayless joins Pitt as the No. 5-ranked recruit in her class from the volleyball hotbed of Texas and the No. 42-ranked recruit in the country according to prepvolleyball.com. She led her high school to a District 6-6A championship this season, earning district MVP honors after being named 1st-Team All-District in 2021 and the district Newcomer of the Year after her sophomore campaign. A member of the National Honors society, Bayless has proven to excel both on the court and in the classroom.
"This program is truly something special and I could not be more excited to be a part of it," Bayless said. "Pitt's incredible team culture and elite coaching staff reflect the program's success, and walking around campus, I knew this was where I wanted to be."
She is the daughter of Julie and Ken Bayless and the older sister of Blake and is still deciding which major she will pursue at Pitt.
"We feel that Blaire might be the steal of the 2023 class. What stands out about Blaire is her big arm, jump, and ability to score in all zones. She has made a big jump in her game this past year and we can't wait to get her in our gym. She is someone that can compete right away. Flat out, Blaire can crush the ball"
Olivia Babcock | Los Angeles, Calif. | Sierra Canyon HS | 6'4 | Opposite Hitter | Sunshine LA
Olivia Babcock, recently named AVCA First-Team High School All-American, was rated as the No. 43 recruit in the country for the Class of 2023 by prepvolleyball.com and No. 27 by prepdig.com. Babcock led her high school, Sierra Canyon, to its first-ever Division 1 girls volleyball championship just two days ago. She made a team-high 22 kills in the championship match. She was invited to the Team USA U-19 Training team with her club teammate and fellow Pitt signee, Stafford, and will be the first member of her family to play Division 1 athletics.
"The coaches and players were the most amazing and supportive group of people I've ever met," Babcock said. "I also want to play and practice volleyball at the highest level and I knew Pitt was the perfect place to do that."
She is the daughter of Dave and Katrina Babcock and has a twin sister named Natalie. She plans on studying Criminal Justice and psychology at Pitt.
"Olivia is fresh off of winning a CIF championship and is really an exciting player to watch," Coach Fisher said. "She has the ability to play high over the net, is a shutdown blocker, and the bigger the stage, the better she plays. What's even more exciting about her, is that she hasn't played volleyball that long. In our gym, we expect her to flourish and continue to realize her limitless potential."
Haiti Tautua'a | Wai'anae, Hawai'I | Wai'anae HS | 6'0 | Setter/Opposite | Spike and Serve
Haiti Tautua'a has been ranked the No. 1 recruit out of Hawai'i this year and the No. 66 player in her class according to prepvolleyball.com. The versatile talent was named to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Fab 15 in 2021 and has won back-to-back All-OIA West 1st Team Honors. She is a staple at the USA Volleyball NTDP and won the 2022 TransPacific Championships with her club, Spike and Serve.
"I chose Pitt because in the short time Coach Fisher has been with the Panthers, he has rapidly improved this program," Tautua'a said. "His knowledge, his humility and his ability to lead past and present women to success is what I want to be a part of."
She is the daughter of Francis and Brandy Tautua'a and the 5th oldest of 45 first cousins. Her older sister, Heipua is a sophomore at San Diego State. Haiti's middle name, Mata'itofe'ohevani means "the only pearl of heaven" in the Tongan.
"Haiti continues a strong line of Hawaiian setters at the University of Pittsburgh," Coach Fisher said. "She is one of the best setters in Hawaii and is a strong all-around player who can hit as well. Haiti is elite in terms of her hand strength and is a smooth mover to the ball. Haiti is excited to make Pittsburgh her second home and fans are sure to love her setting style and calming presence on the court."
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