University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Zach Del Bello / Mean Green Sports
Volleyball Inks Four on NSD
11/12/2025 5:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
DENTON – UNT volleyball head coach Dave Fleming announced the addition of four signees to the Mean Green program on Wednesday.
"We're thrilled to welcome this group of four talented players to the Mean Green family," Fleming said. "This class will bring a winning mentality to our gym as they come from successful high school programs where excellence is the standard. They're student-athletes in every sense of the word, and they're going to be a big part of our continued success in the American Conference."
Incoming freshmen Olivia Branum (Oklahoma City), Madeline Smith (Eaton, Colo.) and Alyssa Young (Overland Park, Kan.) will join the Mean Green ahead of the 2026 season while Paige Hawkinson (Frisco, Texas) will enroll next spring.
Additional information on each player can be found below.
Olivia Branum
Position: Setter
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
High School: Westmoore High School
Club: Oklahoma Peak
Career Highlights and Honors
Paige Hawkinson
Position: Setter
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
High School: Reedy High School
Club: Texas Advantage Volleyball
Career Highlights and Honors
Madeline Smith
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-0
Hometown: Eaton, Colo.
High School: Eaton High School
Club: NORCO
Career Highlights and Honors
Alyssa Young
Position: Libero/Defensive Specialist
Height: 5-8
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
High School: Blue Valley West High School
Club: KC Power
Career Highlights and Honors
"We're thrilled to welcome this group of four talented players to the Mean Green family," Fleming said. "This class will bring a winning mentality to our gym as they come from successful high school programs where excellence is the standard. They're student-athletes in every sense of the word, and they're going to be a big part of our continued success in the American Conference."
Incoming freshmen Olivia Branum (Oklahoma City), Madeline Smith (Eaton, Colo.) and Alyssa Young (Overland Park, Kan.) will join the Mean Green ahead of the 2026 season while Paige Hawkinson (Frisco, Texas) will enroll next spring.
Additional information on each player can be found below.
Olivia Branum
Position: Setter
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
High School: Westmoore High School
Club: Oklahoma Peak
Career Highlights and Honors
- Four-year letter winner at Westmoore High School
- Finished prep career with the school record for career assists
- Led Westmoore to the state tournament for the first time in school history as a junior
- Ranked the No. 3 player from Oklahoma in the 2026 class by PrepDig
- 2025 Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) 6A All-State selection
- Three-time Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference (COAC) First Team All-Conference selection
- 2022 COAC Honorable Mention All-Conference as a freshman
- Plays club for Oklahoma Peak and head coach Edgar Miraku
- Won 2025 USA Volleyball Junior National Championship with Oklahoma Peak in the 17 USA division
- Named an all-tournament team selection at the 2025 USA Volleyball Junior National Championship
Paige Hawkinson
Position: Setter
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
High School: Reedy High School
Club: Texas Advantage Volleyball
Career Highlights and Honors
- Two-year letter winner at Reedy High School
- Finished prep career with over 850 assists and 80 aces
- Led the Lions to the 2024 5A Division 1 Regional Final as a junior
- Named 2025 AVCA Best and Brightest First Team selection
- Plays club for Texas Advantage Volleyball (TAV) and head coach John Haroun
Madeline Smith
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-0
Hometown: Eaton, Colo.
High School: Eaton High School
Club: NORCO
Career Highlights and Honors
- Three-year letter winner at Eaton High School
- Helped Reds advance to the state semifinals as a junior
- Named Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) 3A All-State Honorable Mention selection as a junior
- Multi-sport athlete at Eaton as she also lettered in tennis
- Plays club for NORCO Volleyball and head coach Jared Rudiger
- Brother, Tate, plays baseball at the University of Northern Colorado
- Mother, Stacy, played volleyball at Regis University
- Member of National Honor Society
- Serves as the editor-in-chief of the Eaton Red Ink
Alyssa Young
Position: Libero/Defensive Specialist
Height: 5-8
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
High School: Blue Valley West High School
Club: KC Power
Career Highlights and Honors
- Four-year letter winner at Blue Valley West High School
- Led the Jaguars to the 2025 KSHSAA 6A State Championship title as a senior
- Two-time runner up in the KSHSAA 6A State Championship game in 2022 and 2024
- Advanced to the state semifinals as a sophomore
- Named KSHSAA Eastern Kansas All-League Honorable Mention selection in 2024
- Three-time Kansas Volleyball Association (KVA) Academic First Team honoree
- Dual-sport athlete as she also played club soccer
- Plays club for KC Power Volleyball and head coach Lucas Galmarini
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