UC San Diego women’s volleyball will begin its 2025 season by hosting the UC San Diego Invitational at LionTree Arena in La Jolla. The event opens Friday with a match against Eastern Washington at 6 p.m., followed by games against New Mexico State on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Northwestern on Sunday at noon. The Tritons will also host three neutral matches among the visiting teams during the weekend.
All UC San Diego matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN+, with live statistics available through the team’s official website.
The Tritons finished last season with a 17-13 overall record and an 11-7 mark in Big West Conference play, which earned them their first appearance in the Big West Championship. Key returning players include senior Jasmine Saran (middle blocker), sophomores Paulina Baillie (libero) and Molly McCluskey (opposite), along with seniors Katie Rapp, Jasmine Saran, and Kayla Uhlick.
The team welcomes nine newcomers for the upcoming season: five first-year scholar-athletes—Maria Fernanda Afonso, Stefania Alupei, Alba Canko, Maija Nepszy, and Mina Olgar—and four transfers: Marleena Catalan, Ireland McNees, Zahara Quraishi, and Mika Rome.
In the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll, UC San Diego was picked to finish seventh out of eleven teams. Hawai’i led the poll with Cal Poly close behind; other conference members ranked ahead of or near UC San Diego included UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State, and UC Irvine.
Academic achievement remains a focus for the program. “Iris Canko, Jasmine Saran and Kayla Uhlick were three of the six women’s volleyball scholar-athletes named to the Big West All-Academic team for the 2024 fall season. Saran was also named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for the second straight year. UC San Diego women’s volleyball had 14 scholar-athletes named to the Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll, including nine Tritons receiving Highest Honors with a 3.51-4.00 grade point average.”
Melanie Greene enters her second season as head coach after being appointed on March 20, 2024. “On March 20, 2024, UC San Diego Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards named Melanie Greene the new women’s volleyball head coach. Greene became the seventh head coach in UC San Diego women’s volleyball history.” Greene brings experience from her time as associate head coach at San Diego State and as a former student-athlete there.
The university’s athletics program has completed its transition from NCAA Division II to full Division I status as part of The Big West Conference for the current academic year.
Fans can follow matches online via ESPN+ broadcasts or access digital game day information through their mobile devices by visiting UCSDTritons.com or scanning QR codes at LionTree Arena entrances.
Media interested in covering home games must contact Athletics Communication staff at least one day before each match; video highlights and postgame interviews will be provided afterward.
Supporters can keep up with updates throughout the season on X and Instagram using @ucsdwvb or learn more about youth programs like Junior Triton Club for younger fans.
