The University of Memphis Head Volleyball Coach Carrie Yerty signed two highly recruited players, adding front row depth and blocking power to her squad.

Sarah Wengler, a 6-4 middle blocker out of Villa Ridge, Mo., signed with the Tigers. Wengler will be an immediate contributor to the team in the middle.

"Sarah is a very versatile player. She is not only dominating in the front row, but she is very agile and can play back row as well," said Yerty.

Wengler, a highly touted player out of Pacific High School, has spent the last year at St. Louis Community College in St. Louis, Mo. As a senior in 1997, Wengler, a four-year varsity starter, was an All-State and All-Regional selection. She was also awarded All-Conference and All-District accolades. She holds the school blocking record at Pacific, where she was voted the Best Offensive Player and given the Athlete of the Year Award in 1997.

Wengler served as captain of the Bottom Line Volleyball Club in Chicago in 1997. One of her teammates during her tenure with the club team, Amy Vaughn, will be a senior on the Memphis team next season.

Wengler chose Memphis over other schools because of the family atmosphere of the team.

"I liked the idea of the family atmosphere at Memphis. The whole team kind of seems like they are sisters," Wengler said. Wengler is the daughter of Don and Karen Wengler.

The other Tiger commitment comes from San Antonio, Texas. Cathy Casias, a senior at Churchill High School in San Antonio, committed to the Tigers on Wednesday. Casias, a four-year varsity starter at Churchill, will play outside hitter for the Tigers.

"Cathy will be a dominating hitter in our conference. She has an unbelievable jumping ability, and is an incredible blocker," Yerty said.

Casias served as captain of the Churchill squad her junior and senior years. She was picked as a first team All-City and All-District selection her senior year, and was chosen as first team All-District and second team All-City her junior year, when Churchill claimed the district title.

On the Alamo Club Volleyball team, Casias helped her team to a national championship in the 1997 United States Volleyball Association National Championships, held in Denver, Colo. Casias was selected as a member of the All-National Tournament team, and was also given the Alamo Club team Most Valuable Player Award.

Like Wengler, Casias was attracted to the family atmosphere that surrounds the Memphis squad.

"The most important part of my decision was that I would like the coaches and the team that I would be spending the next four years with. I really liked the whole mentality of the team," Casias said.

Casias is the daughter of Pete and Cleo Casias.