Fremont High alum Maggie Mendelson will compete with Penn State’s women’s basketball program in the upcoming season, the school announced.

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker transferred as a basketball/volleyball player from Nebraska to focus on volleyball and helped Penn State volleyball win the 2024 national championship. Mendelson totaled six kills and six blocks in the title match against Louisville.

“Her versatility, competitive spirit, and championship mindset — sharpened at the highest level with Penn State volleyball — make her a tremendous addition to our program,” PSU women’s basketball coach Carolyn Kieger said in a news release.

Mendelson was ranked the No. 32 basketball prospect in the 2022 class by ESPN. As a volleyball senior at Fremont, Mendelson hit 407 kills with a .294 hitting percentage, 55 blocks and 59 service aces in 85 sets played as a Standard-Examiner All-Area First Team selection. In basketball, she averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 60%, also as an All-Area First Team choice.

Mendelson competed for the United States in basketball at the 2021 U16 FIBA Americas Championship, and in volleyball in the 2021 U18 World Championships and the 2022 U19 Pan American Cup.

Penn State says she’s the school’s first dual-sport athlete since Mac Hippenhammer played football and baseball in 2018-19.

Northridge’s Dyson commits to Colorado State

Dontae Dyson, a soon-to-be senior football player at Northridge High, announced Wednesday his commitment to play at Colorado State.

Weber State was first to offer Dyson in March and Utah State came around in May. He visited Colorado State over the weekend. He’s the son of former Clearfield High and University of Utah standout Andre Dyson, who is also the former Clearfield head coach who had two stints at Weber State coaching cornerbacks.

As a junior receiver and defensive back, Dyson caught 28 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns on offense and 34 tackles and one interception on defense. He also returned one kickoff and one fumble recovery for touchdowns.

Two locals named preseason All-Americans

Former Davis High kicker Will Ferrin and Roy High quarterback/receiver Parker Kingston, both at BYU, have been named preseason college football All-Americans by longtime almanac creator Phil Steele.

Ferrin set new BYU records for field goals in a season (24) and tied the school record for consecutive field goals made (16) in 2024. He also has a 3.52 GPA in business management, according to BYU.

Selected as a punt returner, Kingston returned 16 punts for 236 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 — one score in a bowl game against Colorado and a wild 90-yarder in a flurry of points against Kansas State. He also caught 13 passes for 196 yards.