Tara Mueller begins her second season as a volunteer assistant coach with the George Mason women’s volleyball team in 2016.
Mueller joined the Patriots during the 2015 season and has continued her volleyball career at the professional level since 2012, playing in Switzerland, France and Puerto Rico. Mueller will begin her fifth professional season and build on her international experience when she plays in Naranjito, Puerto Rico during the 2016 season.
“Tara has a passion for the sport of volleyball and competitive nature that is contagious,” said Mason head coach Jackie Simpson-Kirr. “She is such a great asset to our program and is helping raise the level of play inside our gym to new heights.”
A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Mueller graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2011 with a degree in Communication Studies with a Minor in Ethnic Studies and was part of three Big 12 championship teams. Mueller helped the Huskers reach the NCAA tournament four times during her career, including the NCAA semifinals in 2008. During her junior year in 2009, Mueller led the team and finished fifth in the Big 12 with 31 service aces.
Mueller earned 2008 All-Big 12 first-team honors and AVCA second-team All-American honors at outside hitter after emerging as one of the country’s top players during her sophomore season. She finished sixth in the Big 12 in kills and seventh in points per set in 2008 and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Seattle Regional and to the All-Tournament team.
Prior to signing with Nebraska, Mueller was considered one of the best high school volleyball players to ever come out of Arizona. She led Desert Mountain High School to Class 5A-II back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006 during her junior and senior seasons. As a junior, Mueller was named 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year after leading Desert Mountain to its first state championship. Mueller Ranked No. 12 nationally on Prepvolleyball.com’s Senior Aces list and was awarded second-team Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-America honors following her junior and senior seasons. She was selected to the 2006 U.S. Junior National Team her senior season.
Her father played football at Wyoming and her aunt played volleyball at Oklahoma.
