LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's volleyball will celebrate Homecoming weekend with two matches in LionTree Arena, playing host to Cal Poly and CSU Bakersfield to wrap up the first half of conference play.
 
On Friday, Tritons (9-11, 2-6 Big West) will take on the Mustangs (10-8, 7-1 Big West), who are currently in a three-way tie for first in the Big West. On Saturday, UC San Diego will host the Roadrunners (5-15, 2-6 Big West) for the Karen E. Reis Memorial Game. Both matches are slated for a 7 p.m. PT start.
 
The matches will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Match 21
UC San Diego (9-11, 2-6) vs Cal Poly (10-8, 7-1)
Friday, Oct. 21 | 7 p.m. PT
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
All-time series: 0-2
Watch | Live Stats
 
Match 22
UC San Diego vs CSU Bakersfield (5-15, 2-6)
Saturday, Oct. 22 | 7 p.m. PT
LionTree Arena (4,000) | La Jolla, Calif.
All-time series: 18-15 (0-2 last season)
Watch | Live Stats
 
ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 9-11
Big West: 2-6
Home: 2-5
Away: 2-6
Neutral: 5-0 
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: W1
 
ABOUT CAL POLY
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 10-8
Big West: 7-1
Home: 5-0
Away: 3-5
Neutral: 2-3
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-3
Streak: W5
 
ABOUT CSU BAKERSFIELD
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 5-15
Big West: 2-6
Home: 2-7
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 3-3
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: L2


CELEBRATING UC SAN DIEGO HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Oct. 17 thru 23 is Homecoming Week for UC San Diego. For complete details and a breakdown of events that are happening on and around campus, visit the official homecoming site. Here's a look at some of the major events, including athletics functions scheduled for this weekend:
 
Friday, Oct. 21
5 p.m. Triton Tailgate Concert featuring Cash'd Out (RIMAC Field)
6 p.m. Men's Water Polo vs Air Force (Canyonview Aquatic Center)
7 p.m. Volleyball vs Cal Poly (LionTree Arena)
 
Saturday, Oct. 22
1 p.m. Swim & Dive vs Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Canyonview Aquatic Center)
7 p.m. Volleyball vs CSU Bakersfield (LionTree Arena)
 
Sunday, Oct. 23
9 a.m. 26th Annual Triton 5k (RIMAC Field)
10:30 a.m. Junior Triton Run (RIMAC Field)
 
KAREN E. REIS MEMORIAL MATCH
Saturday's match against CSU Bakersfield will be the eighth annual Karen E. Reis Memorial Match (previously known as the Reis Cup). Established in 2013, the event is named in remembrance of former Triton volleyball player Karen Reis (2006-09), who passed away tragically in 2012. Reis was a native of Bakersfield, Calif. and attended Garces Memorial High School.
 
EVENT PARKING IMPACTED
Due to various on-campus events surrounding Homecoming Weekend, traffic and parking will be impacted at LionTree Arena. Fans are advised to enter campus through the north entrance off of Genesee Ave. and park in Hopkins Parking Structure. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Tritons went 1-1 on the weekend, losing another five-set heartbreaker to Long Beach State on Friday before bouncing back with their first Big West sweep on Saturday against Cal State Fullerton. Ava McInnes earned the Tritons' first Big West Player of the Week honor for her performance over the weekend.
 
UC San Diego 2, Long Beach State 3
Set scores: 24-26, 25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 14-16
Top performers: McInnes (31 kills); Henderson (15 kills, 17 digs); McDaniel (12 kills, 4 blocks); Strand (59 assists, 4 blocks, 2 aces); Da Silva (5 blocks); Dong (17 digs); Repetti (15 digs)
Notables: Tritons led 14-11 in the deciding set before giving up five-straight points, UC San Diego led the way in blocks (11-8) and aces (6-4)
 
UC San Diego 3, Cal State Fullerton 0
Set scores: 25-18, 25-14, 26-24
Top performers: McInnes (15 kills, 2 blocks); McDaniel (13 kills); Bokor (5 kills, 4 blocks); Strand (40 assists, 7 digs); Dong (21 digs); Repetti (10 digs)
Notables: UC San Diego recorded their best hitting percentage (.293) since Sept. 2 vs Nicholls, and led the way in blocks (9-5), aces (3-1), kills (47-38) and digs (56-50).
 
McINNES NAMED BIG WEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (OCT. 17)
Outside hitter Ava McInnes was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 17. It was the first weekly honor for McInnes and third for the Tritons since joining the conference a season ago. Additionally, she was named UCU Athlete of the Week on UCSDTritons.com.
 
McInnes averaged 6.00 points per set, with 5.75 kills per set and 46 total kills, hitting .303 on the weekend. She collected a career high 31 kills on 85 swings—hitting .282—in a five-set battle with Long Beach State on Oct. 14 and followed it up the next night with a match-high 15 kills—hitting .342—in a 3-0 sweep of Cal State Fullerton. 
 
STACKING UP AGAINST THE BIG WEST
After eight weeks of competition, UC San Diego currently ranks eighth in the Big West with a 2-6 conference record. The Tritons rank fourth in team blocks with 2.40 blocks per set and first in total team blocks with 206.0—the second highest total being CSUN with 188.0.
 
Ava McInnes ranks first in kills (3.79 avg/s) and third in points (4.29 avg/s), while Izzi Strand ranks fifth in assists (9.01 avg/s). Shara Da Silva ranks fourth in the conference in blocks per set (1.20 avg/s), second in total blocks (84). Naya Dong ranks fifth in the Big West in digs per set (3.79 avg/s).
 
LUYTIES NEARS 200TH WIN WITH TRITONS
Currently in his 13th year at the helm of the UC San Diego women's volleyball program, head coach Ricci Luyties has amassed a 198-132 (.608) record with the Tritons.
 
Prior to his work with the Tritons, Luyties spent six seasons leading Southern Miss. (2004-2010) where he tallied an 85-96 record. For his career, Luyties holds a 283-228 record.
 
GOING THE DISTANCE
The Tritons have pushed 10 of their 20 matches to a deciding fifth set this season, including five of their six home contests. UC San Diego is currently 2-8 in five-set battles, including losses to Big West-leader UC Santa Barbara, fourth-place Long Beach State and fifth-place UC Irvine.  
 
MCDANIEL NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (OCT. 3)
Sophomore Emily McDaniel averaged 2.50 kills and 1.00 blocks per set in two five-set road battles for the Tritons, finishing the weekend with 31.0 points. The opposite tallied 25 total kills, hitting .246 and finished with a team-best 10 blocks, including two solo stops. In the Sept. 29 match at UC Riverside, she finished with 14 kills and five blocks to total 16.5 points. Against UC Davis on Oct. 1, she tallied 11 kills and five blocks for 14.5 points.
 
HENDERSON NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 26)
Outside hitter Zaria Henderson averaged 4.22 points per set and hit at a .247 clip, with 3.67 kills per set, three aces and two blocks on the opening weekend of Big West play. Henderson recorded double-doubles in both matches, averaging 3.67 digs per set. On Sept. 23, she tallied 16 kills and 15 digs in a five-set thriller against UC Santa Barbara. The following night, Henderson put up a match-high 17 kills and a career-high 18 digs against CSUN, hitting .316 in the match. 
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT PERFORMANCES
For their efforts, Ava McInnes, Izzi Strand and Shara Da Silva were named to the Colonel Classic All-Tournament Team. McInnes averaged 5.13 kills, 1.50 digs and 0.63 blocks in eight sets, finishing the weekend with 44 points. Strand averaged 9.44 assists, 2.89 digs and 0.33 blocks per set, directing the offense to hitting percentages above .300 in all three matches. Da Silva tallied 13 total blocks in eight sets to rank third in the Big West in blocks per set and second in total blocks, finishing the weekend with 17.5 points. 
 
McInnes was also named to the UC San Diego Invitational all-tournament team, averaging 3.53 kills per set, 0.93 digs per set, 0.93 blocks per set, finishing the weekend with 60.5 points.
 
STRAND NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 5)
Setter Izzi Strand tallied 9.44 assists and 2.89 digs per set to lead UC San Diego to a clean 3-0 sweep of the Colonel Classic—earning all-tournament honors. Strand recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Sept. 2 against the host Nicholls, finishing with 39 assists—one shy of her career high—and 13 digs. She also finished one dig shy of another double-double in the early match against Southern Illinois, tallying 35 assists and nine digs. Strand directed the offense to team hitting percentages of .325, .303 and .434—the latter being the Tritons' best hitting percentage of the Division I era and best since Oct. 15, 2004 against at Cal State L.A. (.442).
 
McINNES EARNS TRITON ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (AUG. 29)
McInnes averaged 4.23 points per set, with 44 kills and seven aces in three matches to lead UC San Diego to a 2-1 finish at the San Diego State Invitational on the opening weekend of competition. The outside hitter averaged a team-best 3.38 kills per set and was second in digs with 2.00 per set, tallying 19 kills in the Tritons first program win over Cal on Aug. 27, 3-2.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
Ava McInnes and Emily McDaniel will lead a talented group of returners for UC San Diego. Both Tritons were recognized as All-Big West Honorable Mention and named to the Big West All-Freshman Team in their debut season in 2021.
 
McInnes played in 30 matches, making 27 starts and led the Tritons in points (404.5), points per set (3.6), kills (359), kills per set (3.2), total attack attempts (1,110), and service aces (23). McDaniel saw action in 20 matches, making 19 starts and led the Tritons in blocks per set (0.8) as well as hitting percentage (.285). She also finished second on the team in total blocks (59), third in points per set (3.1) and kills per set (2.5).
 
EXPERIENCED ROSTER
UC San Diego returns 10 Tritons who saw playing time during the 2021 season. The senior class consists of Naya Dong, Grace Cannon and Dani Mason who appeared in an average 73 sets during the 2021 season (219 total sets). The junior class consists of Izzi Strand, Natalie Repetti and transfer Shara Da Silva who appeared in an average 80 sets (240 total sets). The sophomores consist of Juliette Bokor, Ava McInnes, Sabire Karacaova, Emily McDaniel, Zaria Henderson and transfer Gabby Quach who appeared in an average 78 sets (469 total sets).
 
FRESH FACES
The Tritons add eight talented newcomers to the 2022 roster, including six freshmen, a sophomore transfer and junior college transfer. The freshmen additions include outside Regan Dryden (Los Gatos, Calif.), outside Katie Rapp (Rancho Mirage, Calif.), opposite/setter Aubrey Tanner (Sierra Madre, Calif.), libero Kayla Uhlick (Riverside, Calif.) and middle Jasmine Saran (Temecula, Calif.). Setter Gabby Quach joins UC San Diego after spending her freshman campaign at Portland and middle Shara Da Silva joins the Tritons from Tyler Junior College. 
 
TEAM CAPTAINS
This year's team captains are libero Naya Dong, middle Dani Mason and outside Ava McInnes.
 
TRITONS PICKED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
As UC San Diego heads into its second year in the Big West, the Tritons were picked eighth with 37 points in the coaches' poll. Hawai'i was picked to finish first with 96 points and six first-place votes, followed closely by UC Santa Barbara with 94 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Cal Poly (79 points), Long Beach State (75), UC Irvine (61), CSU Bakersfield (47), UC Davis (46), UC San Diego (37), Cal State Fullerton (36), CSUN (24) and UC Riverside (10) rounded out the 11-team poll.
 
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM
Grace Cannon and Ava McInnes were two of the five women's volleyball scholar-athletes named to the Big West All-Academic team for the 2021 fall season. Additionally, the Tritons earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, which recognizes teams that maintain a year-long GPA of 3.3 or above. UC San Diego is now a five-time recipient of this award.
 
WELCOME TO LIONTREE ARENA
Since it was established nearly three decades ago, the University of California San Diego's RIMAC (Recreation, Intramural and Athletic Complex) Arena has been home to countless athletic competitions, graduations, concerts and other events that are imprinted on the memories of thousands of UC San Diego alumni, students, friends and visitors.
 
In June of 2022, UC San Diego announced that RIMAC Arena has been named LionTree Arena in recognition of a $5 million gift for scholar-athletes from LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank with expertise in technology, media and the digital economy. LionTree was founded by UC San Diego alumnus Aryeh B. Bourkoff, who also serves as the firm's CEO. LionTree's gift is the largest ever received by UC San Diego Athletics, establishing the LionTree Endowed Scholarship Fund to support scholar-athletes.
 
UC SAN DIEGO AND COVID-19
UC San Diego's nationally renowned Return to Learn program was created to return to in-person teaching, learning, conducting pioneering research and serving our communities in the safest way possible. The program has three adaptive pillars that are central to our strategy to resume on-campus activity: risk mitigation, viral detection, and intervention.

For the latest information on UC San Diego and COVID-19, please visit the University's Return to Learn site.
 
GAME DAY GOES DIGITAL
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit UCSDTritons.com from their smart phone or scan the QR code at the entrance to Triton Soccer Stadium for everything they need to know about each home game, including updated rosters, schedules, and stats for each team, as well as links to watch on ESPN+.

COVERING THE TRITONS
Media members wishing to cover a UC San Diego game in-person at LionTree Arena must notify a member of the Athletics Communication staff no later than 24 hours prior to the game. 

Following the conclusion of each home game, a video highlight melt and video postgame interviews will be made available for media members to download.
 
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games, men's and women's soccer matches, men's and women's volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego women's volleyball, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS LAUNCHES WEEKLY PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Audible, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Vurbl. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on Twitter @Tritoncast.
 
GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdwvb.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.