DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis head women's volleyball coach
Dan Conners announced the addition of four high school standouts who have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and athletic careers with the Aggies beginning with the 2020 season.
The group includes a pair of Southern Californians in Amara Aimufua (Woodland Hills, Calif. / SG Elite) and Casi Newman (San Clemente, Calif. / A4 Volleyball Club), Daly City, Calif., native Megan Lenn (Absolute VBC), and Olivia Utterback (Circle City Volleyball Club), who joins the UC Davis program all the way from her hometown of Plainfield, Ind.
"We are thrilled to announce this group of incoming freshman," Conners said. "This is a group that has a great combination of competitiveness, athleticism and skill. We are looking forward to getting in the gym with them and catching them up as quickly as possible. I expect that they will all find a way to contribute to the success of our team this coming season."
Brief bios on all four signees follow below.
The Aggies are coming off their third consecutive winning season in 2019, posting a 17-13 overall record and a 9-7 mark in Big West Conference play to finish in a tie for fourth. UC Davis made its first-ever postseason appearance as a Division I program last year — and its first of any kind since 1996 — when it faced Tulsa in the opening round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The 17 victories were the most since 2012, while the nine league wins in the ever-difficult Big West were the most for the Aggies since 2015.
After the regular season, UC Davis placed three student-athletes on the All-Big West first team for the first time in the history of the program with senior
Lauren Matias, as well as sophomores
Josephine Ough and Mahalia While, picking up honors. Sophomore
Jane Seslar also earned a spot on the All-Big West honorable mention squad.
AMARA AIMUFUA (5-11, OH, Woodland Hills, Calif. / Marymount HS '20, SG Elite)
Three-year varsity letter winner for the Sailors as an outside and opposite hitter… Posted a prep high 241 kills as a junior, hitting .309 on the season and earning second-team All-Mission League and PrepVolleyball High School All-America honors… Finished with 190 kills and hit 242 as a sophomore, helping Marymount HS to a berth in the section and SoCal Open Division finals… Named the team's Most Valuable Senior, helping the Sailors to a semifinal berth in the CIF Southern Section Division I bracket against Mater Dei with a 32-9 overall record… Also was a member of the track and field team as a freshman… Her parents are Edwin and Adaure… She has two siblings: Lelosa, who plays volleyball for Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, and Ivieosa… Played club for SG Elite.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Amara is a very dynamic outside hitter who has the speed and power to be a great Big West outside hitter. Her work ethic and commitment to winning has stood out among her peers and we can't wait to see what she can do in our gym and how her leadership style emerges within the team."
MEGAN LENN (6-0, OH, Daly City, Calif. / Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep '20, Absolute VBC)
Three-year varsity letter winner for the Fighting Irish as an outside and opposite hitter… Two-time West Catholic Athletic League selection as a sophomore and junior, including first-team honors in the former… Three-time SHC Scholar-Athlete Award winner… Finished with 267 kills and hit .270 as a sophomore… Finished her prep career with 171 kills and hit .253 as a senior… Team finished 31-7 as a junior, reaching the CIF regional semifinals, while winning 27 matches and gaining the regional semifinals as a senior, claiming WCAL and CIF Central Coast Section titles along the way in both years… Helped her team win 25 matches and reach the CIF regional finals as a sophomore… Her parents are Kevin and Adrienne… Has a sister, Maddie, who is a junior with the San Diego State volleyball team… Intends to major in biology at UC Davis.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Megan is a highly skilled passer and a very smooth volleyball player. She moves around the court naturally and reads the game at a high level. We are excited to get her calm and confident demeanor in our gym and are excited about her ability to execute all the skills of the game at a high level."
CASI NEWMAN (5-10, S, San Clemente, Calif. / San Juan Hills HS '20, A4 Volleyball Club)
Four-year letter winner for the Stallions as a setter… Helped the Stallions to three straight South Coast League titles in her first three-prep seasons and a runner-up finish as a senior… Team advanced to the CIF Southern Section championships in all four of her prep seasons, including quarterfinal berths in her sophomore-senior seasons… Helped the Stallions to the CIF State regional finals as a sophomore and the first round of the state open division championship as a junior… Four-time All-South Coast League selection, including first-team honors as a junior and senior… All-league honorable mention and second-team pick as a freshman and sophomore, respectively… Named an Under Armour All-America honorable mention pick as well as an AVCA all-region selection and All-CIF section choice following her senior season… Nominated for the inaugural USA Today High School Sports Awards in the Girls Volleyball Player of the Year category… Parents are Michael and Lynda… Has three siblings: Tori, Tim, and Sam… Intends to major in mathematics at UC Davis… Played club for A4 Volleyball… Named a 2017 USAV MVP, earned a spot on the USAV American Gold Team, and won an AAU Premier bronze medal and all-star team nod… A well-traveled four-year scholar-athlete who has been to 47 of the 50 states.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "We are excited about bringing Casi in to compete at the setting position. She has the ability to set a very consistent ball but, more importantly, her work ethic and competitive nature is second to none. I'm excited to see how Casi will contribute this fall and to see how her leadership will grow and evolve throughout her career."
OLIVIA UTTERBACK (6-0, OPP, Plainfield, Ind. / Plainfield HS '20, Circle City Volleyball Club)
Four-year letter winner in volleyball and three-year letter winner in track for the Quakers… Finished with 1,358 career kills, including a prep-high 435 as a junior (5.00 kills per set) and 432 more as a senior (5.14 kills per set)... Hit a prep-best .362 as a senior after hitting .339 as a junior and at a .331 clip as a sophomore… Under Armour High School All-America honorable mention selection and an AVCA all-region choice as a senior... Four-time all-county and all-conference choice… Also earned all-district and all-state honors during her career… Named to PrepVolleyball's top 150 senior aces list… Parents are Thomas and Penny… Has two siblings: Avery and Sylvia… Intends to major in biology… Member of the National Honor Society thanks to a 4.17 GPA… Academic all-conference selection and member of the Spanish and Junior Optimist clubs... Played for the Circle City Volleyball Club, helping her team to a USAV National Championship… Named to the highest honorable mention squad on the Open Division All-America Team and earned a spot on the 2019 Nike President's Day Classic All-Tournament team.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Olivia is coming in to compete at the opposite position. Her athleticism and quickness will be a nice asset as she competes for a spot in the lineup. Olivia is also a very hard worker and shows promise of being a great teammate and competitor."
2019-20 UC DAVIS WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL SIGNEES
Name (Height, Position, Hometown / High School / Previous School, Club Team)
Amara Aimufua (5-11, OH, Woodland Hills, Calif. / Marymount HS '20, SG Elite)
Megan Lenn (6-0, OH, Daly City, Calif. / Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep '20, Absolute VBC)
Casi Newman (5-10, S, San Clemente, Calif. / San Juan Hills HS '20, A4 Volleyball Club)
Olivia Utterback (6-0, OPP, Plainfield, Ind. / Plainfield HS '20, Circle City Volleyball Club)
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