In August 2025, utahvolleyball announced it had signed a special team member to the position of “Ultimate Ute.” Briar Rose, a nine-year-old girl with a rare genetic disorder called Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome, joined the team through Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit organization that matches children facing serious illness or disability with college athletic teams. During her two-year “contract,” Briar Rose is participating in practices, games, and other team events. When the roster is announced at matches, her name is called. She sits on the bench with the team until play begins. She even has her own bio page on the Utah Athletics website (personal details include “expert on Disney princesses” and “favorite foods are KitKats and Pringles”). #GoUtes Read more about Briar in the latest edition the University of Utah Magazine at the LINK in our bio. 🏐 #UofU