The adminstration at Pleasant Grove High School has announced the hiring of former Viking star Jamie Kartchner as the new head volleyball coach.

Kartchner lettered for four years at Pleasant Grove High School, helping lead her team to a state title her junior year. She also played volleyball for the Intermountain Volleyball Club Region for seven years.

"I was recruited to set for Weber State," Kartchner said. "After graduation, I started for Weber State in the fall of 2003. Then I transferred to the University of San Francisco, which competed in the conference ranked fourth-best in the NCAA. I was their starting setter for the remainder of my eligibility."

Kartchner has been well educated in the game of volleyball, and has been coached and mentored by some of the best coaches in Utah. She is hoping to duplicate her experience by helping others.

"I love to educate young players, and have been doing so for the past four years," she explained. "For USF, I helped with coaching clinics and camps between 2004 and 2006, and helped in the USF team's development in the spring of 2007."

She was the assistant coach of High Country 18's club team in 2004, and was the setter's coach for the San Francisco Juniors in the spring of 2004.

Kartchner comes from a family background in volleyball. Her father Jeff is an alumnus of the University of New Mexico men's club team. Her mother Marlyn played for Mesa Community College in Arizona and is a former coach for the Vikings.

Sister Kelsie played at Pleasant Grove and the University of Utah and trained with the USA National Team. Kelsie is married to Robbie Mendenhall and is expecting their second child.

Jamie Kartchner graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2007. She is currently in the processes of getting certified as a Life Coach, and is working for DME Health Services as a sleep technician.

Kartchner lives in Orem and is engaged to be married in June.