There will be a battle for the setter position at Arizona volleyball this year. After losing former setter Avery Scoggins to transfer, the Wildcats added AEC Setter of the Year Maria Olga Siapani. They
now have a commitment from former Notre Dame setter Harmony Sample. The pair join returning sophomore Chloe Giehtbrock.
Sample spent four years with the Irish, but lost almost all of her freshman season to injury and did not play as a junior. That gives her a fifth year to pursue a master’s degree and play volleyball as a redshirt senior at Arizona.
While Sample started the first four matches of her freshman season, that year was cut short after just four matches. Her most successful season on the court came as a senior in 2025. She played in 21 of the Irish’s 28 matches and started 11 times.
Sample played in a 6-2 offense at Notre Dame, meaning she shared setting duties with another setter. She had her best season in 2025 with 324 assists, 72 digs, 24 kills, 15 total blocks, and 11 aces in 72 sets. She averaged 4.5 assists and 1.0 digs per set.
Before landing at Notre Dame, Sample played for the highly regarded TAV 17 Black club team in Texas. She played her prep ball for Hebron High School in Carrollton, Tex. During high school, she played both setter and right side hitter.
While Siapani brings more on-court experience to the table, Sample has more size and has played in a tougher conference. The newest Arizona setter is listed at 5-foot-11 compared to the 5-foot-8 Siapani. Siapani has started almost every match of her two years in college volleyball, though.
How Stubbs and her new setting coach decide to use the group is an exciting question. They could conceivably move to a 6-2 offense which was fairly popular in the Big 12 this season. It would allow Siapani to avoid front row responsibilities and is something that Sample is familiar with. It would also give Giehtbrock more time to develop at the position. On the other hand, one of the trio could win the position outright. Spring tournaments will reveal a lot about how this Arizona team will look in the fall.
The three setters set Arizona up for this year without causing disruptions next year. The Wildcats did not add a setter in this year’s class, but Tinsley Welker will sign in November and join the program for the 2027 season. Sample has just one year of eligibility left, so she fills the gap in 2026.
