Women's Volleyball Adds Eight Standouts to 2022 Roster

The University of California San Diego women's volleyball team will add eight standout players to its roster for the 2022 season. Head coach Ricci Luyties made the announcement Friday.

The incoming class features six true freshmen along with a pair of transfers. Seven of the eight hail from California, while one is from Brazil.

Joining the Tritons are outside hitters Reagan Dryden, Katie Rapp, and Emma Rhodes; middle blockers Shara Da Silva and Jasmine Saran; setters Gabby Quach and Aubrey Tanner (also an opposite); and libero Kayla Uhlick.

Da Silva comes to La Jolla after playing at Tyler Junior College in Texas, while Quach competed for the University of Portland in Oregon.

In 2021, UC San Diego played its inaugural competitive season as an NCAA Division I program. The Tritons were slated to debut in 2020, but the season was canceled due to the pandemic. They earned their first-ever Division I victory on Sept. 10 by downing Southeastern Louisiana, 3-1, at a tournament hosted by the University of New Mexico. Another huge milestone was reached on Sept. 25 when UC San Diego defeated CSUN on the road for its first Big West Conference win. The team finished with seven conference victories, which included season sweeps of CSUN and Cal State Fullerton.

Two Tritons - middle blocker Emily McDaniel and outside hitter Ava McInnes - were named All-Big West Honorable Mention and selected to the Big West All-Freshman Team.

UC San Diego gets its 2022 campaign underway on Aug. 26 at the San Diego State Invitational. You can find the team's complete season schedule here.

SHARA DA SILVA
Junior • Middle Blocker • 6'1"
Golania, Goias, Brazil • Tyler Junior College

At Tyler Junior College
• As a sophomore: Played in all 39 matches and averaged 2.6 points, 1.8 kills, 1.1 blocks, and 0.9 digs while hitting .285 ... her 145 blocks led the Apaches ... named all-conference and all-region ... team went 26-13, winning a regional title and finishing fourth in the nation.
• As a freshman: Earned all-conference accolades ... team went 7-24.

High School
• Attended Gateway Legacy Christian Academy in Illinois as well as Colegio Amplo in Brazil.
• All-American in 2019.

REAGAN DRYDEN
Freshman • Outside Hitter • 6'0"
Los Gatos, Calif. • Archbishop Mitty HS

At Archbishop Mitty High School
• As a senior: Team captain ... All-West Catholic Athletic League ... Central Coast Section Open champion ... NorCal Open champion ... WCAL Open champion ... won CCS Tournament of Champions and Stockton Classic.
• Also played basketball.

Club
• Played with Vision for eight years.
• Won bronze at Pacific Northwestern Qualifier 17's Gold.

GABBY QUACH
Junior • Setter • 5'9"
San Francisco, Calif. • University of Portland • Lowell High School

At the University of Portland
• As a freshman: Played in 15 of the team's 25 matches ... averaged 2.4 assists, totaling 114 helpers over 48 sets ... season-high assist total was 16 ... had 10 or more assists in six matches ... also averaged 0.7 digs per set.

At Lowell High School
• Earned two varsity letters.
• As a senior: CIF San Francisco Division I All-League Honorable Mention ... led Cardinals to CIF SF championship, CIF Northern California Division III championship, and CIF State Division III championship ... Lowell posted a 14-0 league record and a 7-0 playoff record ... totaled 43 assists in state championship match against Pasadena High School.
• As a sophomore: Team captain.

Club
• Played with Rage Westside (2020-21), SF Elite (2017-20), and SF Tremors (2015-17).
• With Rage Westside: West Coast Volleyball Association 18's Open champions ... fifth in 17's Open at Las Vegas Classic.
• With SF Elite: Third in 15's Open at Las Vegas Classic ... fifth in 15's American at USAV Junior National Championships.

KATIE RAPP
Freshman • Outside Hitter • 6'0"
Rancho Mirage, Calif. • Palm Desert HS

At Palm Desert High School
• A three-year varsity starter.
• Graduated summa cum laude.
• As a senior: Team captain ... All-Desert Empire League First Team ... Desert Empire League Offensive MVP ... team MVP ... Desert Sun Player of the Year ... won league title.
• As a junior: Season canceled due to the pandemic.
• As a sophomore: All-CIF ... All-Desert Empire League First Team ... team was a state finalist, CIF semifinalist, and won league title.
• As a freshman: All-Desert Empire League Honorable Mention.

Club
• Played with Rancho Valley for three years.
• 2022: Finished fifth in Premier League ... ranked 44th nationally by PrepVolleyball ... placed third at Salt Lake Showdown Junior National Qualifier USA Division.
• 2021: First place at Red Rock Race Junior National Qualifier USA Division.

EMMA RHODES
Freshman • Outside Hitter • 5'10"
Temecula, Calif. • Temecula Valley HS

At Temecula Valley High School
• As a senior: Ranked among the top-100 players in the nation.
• As a sophomore: Team captain.
• As a freshman: Frosh 59 ... earned MaxPreps Riverside County Player of the Week five times ... team won Division I state title.

Club
• Played with FORZA1 for eight years.
• Took third in 16's USA Division at Nationals.

JASMINE SARAN
Freshman • Middle Blocker • 6'3"
Temecula, Calif. • Great Oak HS

At Great Oak High School
• Won President's Education Award for outstanding academic excellence ... nominated for Congress of Future Medical Leaders Award of Excellence ... National Youth Leadership Forum medical scholar invite ... selected for Medical Leaders of Tomorrow.
• As a senior: All-Southwestern League Second Team ... team MVP ... Won Riverside Freeway tournament.

Club
• Played for FORZA1, SCVA High Performance, and Coast.
• An Under Armour All-America nomination
• Won 2022 Red Rock Rave.
• Won 2019 Las Vegas Classic.

AUBREY TANNER
Freshman • Setter/Opposite • 6'2"
Sierra Madre, Calif. • Walnut HS

At Walnut High School
• As a senior: Team captain ... First Team All-Hacienda League, team MVP, Gabrielino Invitational MVP ... Gabrielino Invitational champion.
• As a junior: No season due to pandemic.
• As a sophomore: First Team All-Hacienda League ... Queen of the Courts Silver Division champions.
• As a freshman: Second Team All-Hacienda League ... El Monte Varsity Tournament All-Tournament Team ... team's Rookie of the Year ... Gladstone Tournament Gold Division champions ... El Monte Varsity Tournament champions.

Club
• Played with FORZA1 West (2016-22) and San Gabriel Elite (2013-16).
• A four-year team captain.
• 2022 Silver Division Premier Volleyball League champions.

KAYLA UHLICK
Freshman • Libero • 5'6"
Riverside, Calif. • Poly HS

At Riverside Poly High School
• A four-year starting libero and Scholar-Athlete.
• As a senior: Team captain ... Poly's Athlete of the Year ... Sunbelt League Player of the Year ... team MVP ... Riverside County All-Star finalist ... Sunbelt League champions ... National Honor Society member.
• As a junior: Team captain.
• As a sophomore: Hemet Tournament MVP.
• Also competed in track and field for three years, specializing in the 800m and triple jump.

Club
• Played with Rancho Valley (2017-22) and Orangecrest (2014-16).
• 18'1s: Bronze in USA Division at Salt Lake City Qualifier (2022) ... Top-five finish in Premier Volleyball League (2022).
• 17'1s: Gold in USA Division at Las Vegas Classic Qualifier (2021).
• 16'1s: Top-five finish in American Division at Junior Olympics (2018).