Taylor Salmi is back, and Savage Heat volleyball is better for it.

Returning as head coach after a one-year hiatus (Maria Begger coached the Heat last fall), Salmi steps back to lead the Hot Springs program, and is happy to do it.

Salmi and company open season play hosting Victor for a varsity match only in Hot Springs Saturday at 6 p.m.

Salmi has a long history with Savage Heat volleyball. Starting in 2008, she coached the junior high team. Moving on to the high school team as an assistant coach in 2011, Taylor took the reins of the high school team in 2022 and coached through the 2024 season before stepping down for Begger last season.

“I’m glad to be back,” she said. "We have a good group of girls, are working hard in practice and looking forward to getting some matches in.”

The Savage Heat netters took second place in the District 14C tournament last year, advancing on to the Western C before their season ended. Seniors on that team, Callie Cano and Kara Christensen were later named all-conference and to the All-State C team.

Honored as a second team 14C all-conference selection last year, senior Lanet Jakaobsky returns to lead the Heat, Salmi said, adding that Jakabosky has recovered nicely from an offseason injury, looking to be a force once again at the net for Hot Springs.

“Lanet is totally recuperated from her injury, literally killing it in practice,” Salmi said. “Really doing well.”

Salmi said she has been focused on finding a new setter to replace Cano in practice so far. “We have tons of weapons at the net, we just have to find a way to get the ball to them consistently.”

Fellow seniors Kora Hensrude, Hollis Key, Ava Bouquet, Bella Styles and Mackenzie Johnson, sophomores Peyton Salmi, Dakota Slonaker, Layla Ford, Sami Hofstetter, Zia Hensrude, Eleanor Massey and Alisha Jakabosky, and freshman Terrin Stanton round out the 2026 roster for the Hot Springs Savage Heat volleyball team

Salmi said that former Hot Springs standout Katelyn Christensen is her new assistant coach.

A former star athlete for Hot Springs herself, then known as Taylor Wood, Salmi graduated from HSHS in 2007.