Recruiting: BYU adds Aggies' top tackler; women's hoops signs Egyptian international

PROVO — On the final day of spring football, the BYU linebacker room received a significant upgrade.

Utah State linebacker A.J. Vongphachanh announced his commitment to the Cougars as a graduate transfer on Friday, choosing BYU over a party of interested schools that included South Carolina, Minnesota and Washington State.

Instead, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound hard hitter from Pasco, Washington, will take his talents to the Aggies' in-state rival.

Vongphachanh comes to Provo as a graduate transfer after playing four years in Logan, including the 2020 campaign that does not count against every player's eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also played in just four games as a freshman in 2019, making the season eligible for a redshirt.

But Vongphachanh broke out last year for Utah State, leading the team with 101 tackles and adding two sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes defended for the 6-7 Aggies. He also recovered a fumble during Utah State's 24-13 win over Oregon State in last season's Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl that capped a Mountain West championship season.

Vongphachanh should immediately challenge for starter-level minutes in a linebacker rotation at BYU, where he has been scene visiting in recent weeks during spring football, that includes Ben Bywater, Max Tooley and Chaz Ah You — a standout trio with over 200 combined tackles a year ago who also missed most of spring football while recovering from various injuries. In their absence, fourth-year junior Ammon Hannemann has led younger players Maika Kaufusi, Ace Kaufusi and Micah Wilson, among others, in added reps from new linebackers coach Justin Ena.

Also on the defensive side of the ball, senior cornerback George Udo and freshman linebacker Logan Pili each announced they would be entering the transfer portal for the 15-day window that starts Saturday. The duo join freshman safety Dean Jones in submitting their names to the portal this week.

BYU opens its inaugural season in the Big 12 on Saturday, Sept. 2 against FBS newcomer Sam Houston State. The Cougars' first game in Big 12 play is Sept. 23 at Kansas.

BYU adds Egyptian international post

BYU women's basketball also got bigger on Friday, announcing the signing of post Jana Sallman as part of the 2023 signing class.

Sallman, a 6-foot-3 forward/center from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, comes to BYU with experience on the Egyptian national team. That includes averaging a double-double in the most recent FIBA U-18 African women's championships last year with 14.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game before a high school that averaged 11.1 points, 9.8 boards and 2.8 blocks per game for the Pioneers.

"Jana is a tall, long and physical big," BYU assistant coach Morgan Bailey, a one-time Cougar forward great, said of Sallman. "She brings a balanced skillset of being a force inside, an ability to attack the basket off the dribble and can shoot it as well. Along with her skillset, I'm excited about the fearless mentality Jana brings to this team going into the Big 12. She has played on big, international stages against great competition and has a strong will to win."

Sallman joins an incoming recruiting class that includes four-star guard Amari Whiting — the daughter of head coach Amber Whiting and former BYU wing Trent Whiting, Gatorade Utah Player of the Year Kailey Woolston from Lone Peak, and two-time Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year Ali'a Matavao, as well Oregon transfer and former four-star recruit Jennah Isai.

Blanck trades blue for red

Attrition also hit the BYU women's basketball program this week when former Olympus High standout Alyssa Blanck traded in her Cougar blue uniform for Utah red.

The 6-foot-2 former 5A MVP for the Titans posted a photo on Instagram with the University of Utah women's basketball team. Blanck, who played in just one non-Division I game while redshirting for the Cougars in 2022-23, will walk on with Lynne Roberts' program, sources told KSL.com. Roberts, the Pac-12 Coach of the Year who led the Utes to a 27-5 record and the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament, can't comment on walk-on additions until they enroll in classes, according to NCAA rules.

Fellow redshirt Sophia Lee and guard Amanda Barcello, who earned All-WCC freshman honors last year, are also in the transfer portal, as first reported by Heat Check CBB.

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