Nov. 20, 2008

A pair of talented high school volleyball players-Maddison McKibbin of Punahou High in Honolulu, Hi., and Tanner Jansen of Santa Margarita High in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.-have signed letters of intent with USC, Trojan men's volleyball head coach Bill Ferguson announced today (Nov. 20).

"We're really excited to have these two high-caliber young men join our program," said Ferguson, who will welcome these players in the fall of 2009. "Maddison is regarded as the best all-around player in the nation's 2009 recruiting class, while Tanner is the top opposite hitter in the class. They will come in and compete immediately for playing time."

The 6-4 McKibbin, an opposite hitter, outside hitter and setter, was a member of Punahou's 2006 and 2007 Division I state championship teams and the 2008 state runner-up squad (boys volleyball in Hawaii was competed in the fall until 2008, when it became a spring sport). He was named to the 2008 Volleyball Magazine All-American third team as a junior, as well as to the 2007 and 2008 All-State team and the 2008 state All-Tournament team.

He made the Junior Olympics All-Tourney teams in 2006 (15's), 2007 (16's) and 2008 (17's), guiding his Outrigger Canoe Club team to bronze medals in 2006 and 2007. Also a fine beach player, he placed fifth at the 2008 FIVB Youth (Under-19) Beach World Championships. He won the 2005 AAU Boys National Beach Volleyball Under-15 Championships.

McKibbin has a trio of relatives with USC volleyball roots: his brother, Riley, is a sophomore setter on the Trojans, while his uncle, Owen, lettered in 1983-84-86-87, as the Trojans finised second at the NCAA Championships his final 2 seasons, and his aunt, Claudia, was a letterwinner on the Women of Troy's 1980 national championship team.

Jansen, a 6-5 opposite hitter, made the 2008 All-CIF Division I second team and All-Trinity League first team as a junior as Santa Margarita advanced to the CIF Division I semifinals. At the Junior Olympics, he was a member of the Balboa Bay Club's 2007 gold medal 16's team and 2008 silver medal 17's team.