LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego women's basketball head coach Heidi VanDerveer has announced the signing of three Division I transfer scholar-athletes who will join the Tritons for the 2023-24 season.
 
The Tritons will welcome Meaali'i Amosa (Pepperdine), Rosa Smith (Idaho) and Emma Svoboda (Oklahoma) to La Jolla this fall.
 
"We are excited to add this trio of talented transfers to our returning core and incoming freshman class," said VanDerveer. "Meaali'i Amosa, Rosa Smith and Emma Svoboda each bring a skill set that will enhance our depth, increase our competitiveness, and positively impact our team."
 
A 6'1" forward, Amosa prepped at Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, Calif.) and will enter as a junior. A rising sophomore, Smith is a 5'7" guard who began her career at Lake Washington High School (Kirkland, Wash.). Also entering her junior season, Svoboda is a 6'3" center who prepped at La Quinta High School.
 
The three scholar-athletes join incoming freshmen Eri Blithikioti (Athens, Greece), Erin Condron (Woodend, Victoria, Australia), and Sumayah Sugapong (San Diego, Calif.) as the Tritons' newcomers in their final season of the Division I reclassification period.
 
They will join a group that finished sixth overall in The Big West with a 10-10 record—their second consecutive season with a conference record of .500 or better in three seasons of Division I competition.
 
MEAALI'I AMOSA
» 6'1" | Forward | Jr.
» Garden Grove, Calif.
» Mater Dei HS | Pepperdine
» College: Appeared in 23 games making 16 starts as a sophomore…Averaged 5.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 22-23 with a .573 field goal percentage…Appeared in 21 games and started 16 as a true freshman…Averaged 5.6 points and led the Waves in field goal percentage (.490) in 21-22…Earned WCC Commissioner's Honor Roll "bronze honors as a freshman…Wcc All-Academic honorable mention as a sophomore…High School: Four year varsity letterwinner at Mater Dei…Helped her team to four league championships and two CIF championships…Named All-League and All-CIF second team as a junior…Named All-League Second Team as a sophomore.
 
From Coach VanDerveer:
"Mea will add a balance of strength and craftiness to our post group. She can score on the block, has a solid face up game, and is an outstanding rebounder. Mea is poised and productive, and she will bring positive energy and a tremendous work ethic to our program."
 
ROSA SMITH
» 5'7" | Guard | So.
» Kirkland, Wash.
» Lake Washington HS | Idaho
» College: Started 28 of 30 games as a true freshman at Idaho, averaging 32.9 minutes and 9.8 points per game…Shot 31.7 percent (97-306) from the field and 32.4 percent (67-207) from three-point range…Ranked seventh in the Big Sky with 3.4 assists per game…High school: Starting point guard for four seasons with Lake Washington…led the team in points (17.9 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg) and averaged 4.4 rebounds per game during the 2021 spring season…First Team All-Conference as a freshman and sophomore…Helped Lake Washington to the state title game in 2019-20…In track and field, she was the 2019 KingCo League High Jump Champion and a member of the 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay state finalist teams.
 
From Coach VanDerveer:
"Rosa is a complete point guard who can score in a variety of ways. She can play with the ball and create for herself or her teammates or she can play without the ball and be an effective scorer. She has excellent skills and instincts. Rosa is an extremely hard worker, outstanding competitor, and tremendous leader."
 
EMMA SVOBODA
» 6'3" | Center | Jr.
» La Quinta, Calif.
» La Quinta HS | Oklahoma
» College: Appeared in five games as a sophomore in 2022-23…Averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 23 games off the bench as a freshman in 2021-22…Had career-night vs. Arkansas State (Nov. 12, 2021), posting career-highs in points (14), rebounds (9) and minutes (20)…High School: Led La Quinta to the Desert Empire League (DEL) title and to the CIF-SS semifinals as a senior…Averaged 23.6 points, 16.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 steals per game in final prep season…Two-Time DEL MVP (2019 and 2021)…Back-to-back First Team All-CIF selection.
 
From Coach VanDerveer:
"Emma adds a low post presence to our team. She works hard to establish post position and can score on the block. She can also operate effectively in the high post as a shooter or a passer. Emma is a very good rebounder and solid defender. She is a hard worker, passionate player and great teammate."
 
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 began a new era in 2020 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.