HIGH SCHOOL
Played four years of varsity volleyball at El Segundo High School ... Earned first-team all-Pioneer League honors her final three seasons after being named to the all-Bay League second team as a freshman ... Named to the 2006 Division II Amateur Athletic Foundation team ... Finished that season with 198 kills, 17 aces, 15 blocks and four assists ... Led the team in kills and was second in blocks ... Hitting percentage of .418 ... An all-CIF first-team selection as a junior and senior ... Named team's most outstanding player as a sophomore ... Was a league player-of-the-week during each of her four seasons of prep volleyball ... An honor roll student ... Named a Top Defensive Dandy by Prep Volleyball ... Also named a top 51 frosh by that publication ... Played for the Sunshine Volleyball Club for during three years of high school ... Team placed third at the 2006 USA Volleyball Junior Olympic championships and she was named an All-American at that event.
PERSONAL
Tara Marie Hovland was born Jan. 4, 1989, in Redondo Beach, Calif. ... Daughter of Tim and Pamela Hovland ... Father was a volleyball All-American at USC and legendary beach player ... Brother, Hunter, is s sophomore volleyball player at El Segundo HS ... Enjoys the beach, shopping and sending time with friends ... Played club ball for the Hotshots in Manhattan Beach for six years as a youngster ... Won the AAU/AVP Tour Championships beach volleyball tourney at both the U-10 (1999) and U-12 (2001) levels ...Undeclared major at San Diego State.
