DAVIS, Calif.  — As UC Davis beach volleyball looks to enter its first season of competition in the West Coast Conference, head coach Ari Homayun announces the teams signing class for the 2027 season, with Natalie Lau and Grace Townson transferring in and Isabel Ruiz and Molly Serafin joining as freshmen from Southern California.

Natalie Lau (Gr., Brisbane, Calif. California)

Joining the Aggies after four seasons of indoor volleyball at the University of California, Lau brings her talents to the sand after compiling over 1,000 assists and 300 digs throughout her career with the Bears.

As a junior, she posted the best season of her career, setting 942 assists for the fifth best mark in the ACC while leading the team in double-doubles.

Grace Townson (Gr., Bakersfield, Calif., TCU)

2025 national champion Grace Townson returns to the Golden State after four seasons with the Horned Frogs, serving as a team captain and locker room leader as a senior in 2026.
Earning a President's Award for Academic Excellence at Stockdale High School in Bakersfield, Townson's mix of academic and athletic excellence makes her a perfect fit for UC Davis.

"I'm stoked to have both Grace and Natalie's wisdom and experience," said Homayun. "Grace is joining us after spending four years at TCU, a part of their squad that won a national championship, while Natalie is joining us after setting for the Cal Berkeley indoor volleyball team. Both girls will be able to provide unique insight along with having amazing work ethic."

Isabel Ruiz (San Diego, Calif., Classical Academy High School)

Playing on the courts and the sands of San Diego, Ruiz joins the Aggies after four years of indoor and beach volleyball at Classical Academy High School.

On the club level, Ruiz has trained over the last three seasons with the premier WAVE Beach Volleyball club, ranked the number one club in the US by Triple Crown Volleyball in 2023. With WAVE, Ruiz has been a top level performer, earning a gold medal with partner Paisley Mahn at a CBVA tournament in Los Angeles back in 2025.

Molly Serafin (Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach High School)

Serafin also joins Davis after an illustrious career of indoor and beach volleyball at Huntington Beach High School. 

Outside of interscholastic play, Serafin has also enjoyed considerable success with the United Volleyball Club out of Southern California, earning a number of medals going back to 2022. Most recently, she earned gold at the 2026-27 BVCA Orange County Summer Club Challenge back in July at the 5v5 open competition, playing alongside a number of fellow high level intercollegiate beach volleyball recruits.

"Eager to also have Molly and Izzy joining us," Coach says. "These two incoming freshmen are some of the hardest working athletes I've had the pleasure of watching for the past couple of summers at juniors tournaments. Their grit and discipline will be a great addition to our roster."

These future Aggies enter a program coming off of a Big West Semifinals appearance from a season ago.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, ranked No. 2 among public universities by the Wall Street Journal in the value of a college degree, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked top in the United States in agriculture and forestry as well as No. 1 in veterinary medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.