DAVIS, Calif. — One of the most prolific players in program history, former UC Davis volleyball superstar Jade Light has signed a professional contract with the Okayama Seagulls, playing the 2026-27 season in the Japan SV.League.

Light continues the long tradition of professional players who have come through the Aggie pipeline, succeeding former player Olivia Utterback, who is currently preparing for her second season with ASP Thetis W in Greece.

Founded in 1999, the Seagulls are the latest in a long line of professional teams that have played volleyball in Okayama going back to 1953. Last season, the club finished 12th in the SV.League, the second level of professional volleyball in Japan while also securing a ninth place finish in the Empress' Cup All Japan Championship, a 24 team tournament featuring some of the best programs in the country.

No stranger to high level play, Light finished her career at UC Davis with one of the best seasons in program history in 2025, being named the Big West Player of the Year and an AVCA All-American, the first All-American for the program since 1996.

During the season, she collected 1,000 career kills to become the 13th player in program history to hit that mark. She was also named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week three separate times and a First-Team Big West selection.

The Seagulls season begins on Oct. 16 when the team takes on the Osaka Marvelous at home, more information about the club can be found here.

The whole Aggie family wishes Jade the best of luck as she begins her professional career.

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/.