DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis head women's volleyball coach
Dan Conners announced a group of four high school standouts who have committed to continue their academic and athletic careers with the Aggies beginning with the 2021 season.
The group of high school commits includes Redwood City, Calif., native Maddie Gleason (Notre Dame Belmont HS '21 / Rage Westside), along with a trio of Southern Californians in Alexa Hogan (Inglewood, Calif. / Palisades Charter HS '21 / Actyve VBC), Tory Holmes (Newport Beach, Calif. / University HS '21 / Unity VBC), and Julia Ng (Foothill Ranch, Calif. / Trabuco Hills HS '21 / Saddleback VBC).
"This group provides us with much needed depth in several positions and we are excited to get them here to Davis and allow their own unique styles and personalities bring out their best volleyball," Conners said. "The transition can be challenging at times and it can take time to adjust to the game at the Division I level, but I see potential in all four of our incoming players to establish themselves as key contributors next fall."
Brief bios on all four commitments, in alphabetical order, follow.
The Aggies return to the court in 2021 following 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 — 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.
MADDIE GLEASON (6-2, Middle Blocker, Redwood City, Calif. / Notre Dame Belmont HS '21, Rage Westside)
Began her prep career by playing her first three years at Sequoia HS in Redwood City before transferring to Notre Dame Belmont for her senior year… Helped Sequoia HS to a first-round section appearance as a junior… Posted 206 kills, 64 blocks, and 47 aces, while hitting .211 as a sophomore… Followed that up with 165 kills, 84 blocks, and 48 aces, while hitting .330 as a junior… Two-time Pacific Athletic League first team selection as a sophomore and junior… Max Preps Player of the Year as a junior… Parents are Jonathan and Julie… Her father played water polo at Claremont McKenna… Intends to major in animal science with a possible anthropology minor… Has played club volleyball for Rage Westside for seven years.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "We are very excited for Maddie to get in our gym. She is a very experienced player with a wide range of attacking abilities. She gives us much-needed depth in the middle and will be competing for a spot on the court in the fall. We know that Maddie is a very competitive person and a team player."
ALEXA HOGAN (6-1, Middle Blocker, Inglewood, Calif. / Palisades Charter HS '21, Actyve VBC)
Three-year member of the team at Palisades Charter HS… Helped the Dolphins to a combined 77-20 record overall and a 24-0 mark in league play over her sophomore and junior seasons, winning a pair of Western League titles… Team was a CIF Los Angeles City Section finalist both years… Two-time All-Western League honoree, including first team honors as a junior, finishing with 123 kills that season… Also named to the All-CIF City Section Open Division second team as a junior… Parents are Clyde and Monique… Has a sister, Erin, who also plays volleyball… Father played football and ran track at the University of Toledo…Intends to major in history… Has played club volleyball for West Coast VBC, Southern California Volleyball Club, and Actyve VBC.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Alexa joins Maddie in the middle and, like Maddie, will be competing for court time this fall. We are excited for Alexa to join the team as her lateral speed will be an asset for our blocking system. We are looking forward to getting Alexa to campus and to see her grow with our team."
TORY HOLMES (6-0, Opposite Hitter, Newport Beach, Calif. / University HS '21, Unity VBC)
Four-year member of the volleyball team at University HS in Irvine, Calif… Helped the Trojans to a pair of CIF berths as a sophomore and junior… Hit .352 with 61 kills and 31 blocks as a freshman middle… racked up 133 kills, 33 aces, 28 blocks, and 52 digs as a sophomore, moving to outside hitter… Shined as a junior when she led the Pacific Coast League with 282 kills, while hitting .262 and scooping up 129 digs… Named to the All-PCL first team following her junior season, adding 18 aces and 33 blocks… Parents are Mark and Catherine… Has a sister, Olivia… Intends to major in psychology with a possible minor in education… Has played club volleyball for Momentous VBC and Unity VBC.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Tory is a dynamic player and we are excited about her potential at the collegiate level. She joins us as an opposite, but we feel that Tory could grow into the outside hitter position as well. She hits the ball a ton and we feel that Tory has the potential to be a key performer for us throughout her career."
JULIA NG (5-5, Defensive Specialist/Libero, Foothill Ranch, Calif. / Trabuco Hills HS '21, Saddleback VBC)
Three-year member of the volleyball and track and field teams at Trabuco Hills HS… Helped the Mustangs reach the CIF finals as a sophomore, finishing the year with a 28-13 record, and earned a second CI berth as a junior, finishing 22-15 overall… Also competed in the long jump, triple jump, and the high jump, with the track and field team… Parents are Chuck and Beth… Intends to major in managerial economics with a possible minor in communication… Has played club volleyball for the Saddleback Volleyball Club for eight years, finishing first in the U14 division at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship and third in the U15 division.
Head Coach Dan Conners says: "Julia adds more depth to our libero and defensive specialist positions. Her quick feet and reactions, along with her keen instinct for the ball, make her a fantastic candidate to earn some time on the court in the fall. Julia's speed gives her quite a bit of defensive range and her ability to read the game puts her in excellent positions to make plays."
2020-21 UC DAVIS WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL COMMITMENTS
Name (Height, Position, Hometown / High School / Previous School, Club Team)
Maddie Gleason (6-2, MB, Redwood City, Calif. / Notre Dame Belmont HS '21, Rage Westside)
Alexa Hogan (6-1, MB, Inglewood, Calif. / Palisades Charter HS '21, Actyve VBC)
Tory Holmes (6-0, OPP, Newport Beach, Calif. / University HS '21, Unity VBC)
Julia Ng (5-5, DS/L, Foothill Ranch, Calif. / Trabuco Hills HS '21, Saddleback VBC)
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Centrally located between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, over 700 student-athletes across 25 teams enjoy an unrivaled undergraduate experience at the fifth-ranked public school in the country.
Ranked annually in the nation's top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis and its innovative Aggie EVO System helps student-athletes develop passions, connect with a comprehensive network of alums and industry leaders, gain real-world experience and thrive as a young professional following a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school.
