Fab Five: Ava McInnes

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Photographs have the ability to capture important pieces of our past and help us recall people, places, feelings, and memories that made an impact on our lives. For many scholar-athletes, pictures secure those special moments and assist in making their collegiate careers last forever.

In a feature called “Fab Five”, Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 

Today, Ava McInnes from the women's volleyball team showcases her top pics.

An outside hitter, Ava was essential during UC San Diego's first-ever competitive season as an NCAA Division 1 team in 2021. After the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic, she came back strong to lead the Tritons in points, kills, and service aces while finishing fourth in blocks and digs. She garnered All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention accolades and was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team for her efforts. 

Hailing from Tustin, Calif., Ava is a psychology major in Muir College. She is heading into her sophomore campaign, which kicks off on Aug. 26 at the San Diego State Invitational.

1. Home Court Advantage

This was my first time playing a match inside RIMAC Arena in front of a crowd. I remember being so excited to finally play at UC San Diego. This match was our season opener and RIMAC was packed! It was incredible having hundreds of students and other athletes cheering us on. I'll never forget the energy in the gym that night. Playing in front of our home crowd made me so proud to be a Triton!

2. For the Love of the Game

This photo is one of my favorites because it was our first Division 1 win at home. Dani Mason, a junior middle blocker, scored the match-winning point with a massive block. Winning our first home match created this awesome energy that was carried through the rest of our conference matches. I think our faces in this photo really show how much we love competing and how much excitement we have for the game.

3. Relentless

Senior Susana Limb with an awesome pancake! I love this photo because it shows the intensity and hustle we put into all of our matches. Our team has a relentless attitude when it comes to playing volleyball. There are so many times where I have seen my teammates chasing and diving after balls and sacrificing their bodies just to get balls up. In practice, we spend hours working on bettering our play so it is awesome to see our hard work pay off in moments like this.

4. Chemistry

I love this photo because it shows the positivity and excitement we have for our teammates. This team has an amazing chemistry, and we all share a passion for the sport we play. I think a huge part in our team's success is the constant support we offer to each other. There is no better feeling after scoring a point than turning to see your teammates celebrating with you! 

5. R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I love this team! I have so much respect for this group of women and coaches. As a team, this was our first time competing in Division 1 as a member of the Big West Conference. For more than half of our team, this was our first time competing for UC San Diego. It was really fun to get to know all my teammates who are now like family to me. Collectively as a team, it has been awesome to see all of us individually putting in work at the gym and at practice to get better. During the season it was awesome to see our growth as a team when we competed. I am also very thankful for our incredible coaches who played major parts in our team's growth.

Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer for future editions of “Fab Five” from other UC San Diego scholar-athletes. Previous “Fab Five” entries are below.

2022

• Adee Newman (Track and Field)
• Jake Kosakowski (Men's Basketball)
• Rachel Wagner (Women's Tennis)
• Matt Palma (Men's Volleyball)
• Nick Cirrito (Men's Soccer)

2020
• Sergi Mata (Men's Golf)
• Gabe Hadley (Men's Basketball)
• Jonathan Sabouri (Men's Soccer)
• Grace Murphy (Swimming & Diving)
• Collin Shannon (Men's Volleyball)
• Cindy Tran (Women's Volleyball)
• Jake Selstad (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
• Calder Hilde-Jones (Men's Water Polo)
• Anu Bhadada (Women's Tennis)
• Natalie Widmer (Women's Soccer)
• Konami Masui (Women's Fencing)
• Sarah Proctor (Women's Rowing)
• Neil Tengbumroong (Men's Tennis)
• Cameron Leonard (Baseball)
• Isabel Lavrov (Softball)
• Zeinab Torabi (Women's Track & Field)
 

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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.