All in the family: Ridgeline, Timpview setters share last name, D-I volleyball game

PROVO — Whenever Timpview setter Silina Damuni goes to a large family reunion, she can usually expect one thing: eventually the cousins will break out a net, find a ball, and start a game of volleyball.

She can also usually count on another thing: she and her cousin Nia Damuni won't be on the same team.

In that manner, this week's opener between the 4A Riverhawks and 5A Timpview were a lot alike.

The two cousins were on opposite sides of the net Tuesday when Silina Damuni posted 25 assists and six kills to help the Thunderbirds defeat Nia's Riverhawks 25-17, 25-12, 26-24 in Provo.

Just like old times. And in the senior season for both Division I-bound volleyball players, what a treat.

No, the two setters listed in the program with the same last name aren't sisters. But one could be forgiven for thinking so, especially with both setting for their respective teams and occasionally floating outside to lay down a sneaky attack.

"We're like twins," Silina said of her cousin Nia, who had 13 assists, four kills and six digs for the Riverhawks. "But we've never played on the same team before; that would be so fun."

Silina Damuni is the daughter of Jack Damuni, the former BYU defensive back and current director of alumni relations on head coach Kalani Sitake's support staff. Her older brother, Raider, signed with the Cougars before serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Bay Area of California.

Ever since Silina was a little girl, she wanted to join her dad's school and the one where her older brother will wind up playing wide receiver.

"It's always been my dream school," she said. "Most of my family went there, and it's always been my dream school. It's a good, competitive program with awesome coaches, too."

Nia Damuni is the daughter of Waqa Damuni, Jack's brother who played college football at Dixie State (now Utah Tech) and went on to help Utah State win back-to-back Big West titles from 1996-98.

After earning a master's degree in business from the Aggies in 2005, Damuni went on to a career in athletics at Arkansas, Colorado and Memphis before returning to his alma mater, where he has been the associate athletic director for student-athlete development/academic coordinator for the past decade.

That brought his family home to Cache Valley, where Nia Damuni is now a senior setter for defending 4A champion Ridgeline. And since a young age, volleyball has been in Nia Damuni's blood.

Her cousins made sure to play a big role in that.

"It's big with us," said Nia, who was named the 4A Player of the Year by the Deseret News last year as a junior. "All of my cousins, me and Sila, all of them came up loving volleyball. And my parents have always supported us."

Still, Nia confirmed her cousin's story that the two rarely — if ever — played against each other during those intra-family scrimmages. So when Timpview coach Charmay Lee and Ridgeline coach Jaicee Roden, who coached together for three years previously, had the chance to set up a non-region match against each other, they quickly made it happen.

It was the season opener for Timpview, but the second of the season for Ridgeline, which also lost to 6A power Skyridge earlier in the week. But it was a dream fulfilled for Nia Damuni.

"We never played against each other until this year," she said of her cousin. "But I've been learning from her, watching her, and wanting to play (against) her all along.

"We're best friends, and always together in the summertime. You'll never see us apart."

Like her cousin, Nia has also committed to play Division I volleyball — this time at Gonzaga, where she'll join a family of Division I athletes that include Stanford linebacker Levani Damuni and BYU signee Jovesa Damuni.

So why Gonzaga?

"I love the coaches, and Spokane is beautiful," Nia said. "The players were great, and it felt like home to me."

Playing her cousin in a non-region match was also a dream for Silina Damuni in her final season of high school volleyball before signing up to play at her dream school.

"We are so competitive. We love playing against our cousins," Silina said. "But we're never on the same team. I'm so grateful for setting up this game, and being able to have all of my family here. It was great."

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