Giants load up on height in quest for title in new conference, another postseason run

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

Fortified by a formidable front line, a pair of promising setters and one of the state's top returning defensive specialists, College of the Sequoias women's volleyball team has its sights set on a return trip to the postseason.

And competing for the program's first conference championship in nearly two decades.

"I'm really optimistic about this team," said Kim Rix, whose 12th season as Giants head coach launches at 3 p.m. Aug. 27 on the road against Solano. "Everyone has the desire to win. But you have to put in the work to win, and they are putting in the work."

Rix and her staff -- including assistants Kaitlyn Harper, Stacy Hyde and Sydney Guinn -- have assembled a 15-woman roster featuring nine players standing 5-foot-10 or taller, including a pair of 6-foot plus returners in Trinity Tavita (Las Vegas) and Faizia Mamea (Las Vegas).

"We have some height this year, which makes a huge difference," Rix said. "Having athletes who are also tall makes it nice because it's a bigger block. They are contacting the ball higher. It's fun to coach."

Tavita, a 6-0 outside hitter, is Sequoias' leading returning kills producer, having smashed 220 last season to go along with 178 digs and 34 blocks.

Mamea, a 6-1 opposite/middle blocker, contributed 119 kills, 57 blocks and 18 digs to a Giants' team that went 16-15 overall, 8-8 in the Central Valley Conference and lost 25-14, 18-25, 26-24, 25-15 to Santa Rosa in the first round of the Northern California Regional playoffs.

"They are so much more developed this year," Rix said. They will be a big asset for us."

Sequoias also returns 5-4 libero Allison Wood (Immanuel-Reedley) and 5-10 outside hitter/opposite/middle blocker Mariainez Lopez (Dinuba).

Wood was second in the state with 593 digs last season. She averaged 4.98 digs per set, which ranked fourth-best in the state.

"We're really excited about her," Rix said. "She had a great season as a freshman. and is coming back even stronger."

Lopez delivered 128 kills, 48 blocks and 42 digs.

"We can put her anywhere she needs to be," Rix said. "It's nice having that diverse of a player."

The Giants also added a sophomore transfer in 5-8 setter Molly Forehan, who hails from Melbourne, Australia, and played last season at Coastal Bend community college in Beeville, Texas, where she produced 184 assists, 45 digs, 14 ace serves and 10 digs while playing 51 sets.

After the 2024 season, Forehan emailed every community college coach in the country looking to transfer.

"She emailed me and we hit it off. We Zoomed and we hit it off," Rix said. "I was so excited and shocked we got her after I found out she contacted over 600 schools. She was really determined to find the right fit. And she is absolutely thriving here."

Sequoias' 10-member freshman class features four locals from Central Section high schools who earned first-team all-league honors last season in 5-7 setter Natalie Rankin (Porterville), 5-5 defensive specialists-outside hitter Tatiana Quinones (Monache-Porterville), 5-10 opposite Ai-Lani Hunter (Justin Garza-Fresno) and 5-6 defensive specialist Natali Rocha (Sierra Pacific-Hanford).

Rix described Rankin as the best high school setter in the area last season, when she delivered 1,098 assists, an average of 9.3 per set, while helping the Panthers win the first two state playoff games in school history.

"She is such a high level setter," Rix said. "She's a huge get for us."

Quinones, the daughter of Monache coach Rosalia Quinones, had 392 kills and 372 digs for the Marauders in 2024.

"Her volleyball IQ is so high," Rix said.

Hunter had 152 kills, 79 digs and 28 blocks as a senior.

"She's a really hard worker," Rix said. "Very coachable. Very athletic. She's going to be big for us."

Rocha was a hitter in high school who is making the transition to defensive specialist.

"You would never know she's a freshman," Rix said. "Natali is very big on form and technique and doing really well."

The Giants have two grayshirts in 5-11 middle blocker Desiree Roberts (Redwood) and 5-11 outside hitter Zakoiyah Smith (Hoover-Fresno).

"I look for potential in athletes," Rix said. "I can teach volleyball, but I can't teach height and athleticism, and work ethic and competitiveness. And they have those things that I can't teach. We've seen a ton of development in them."

The Giants also have two players making transitions from other Sequoias programs in 6-2 middle blocker Mallary Gonzalez (Hoover-Fresno) and 5-11 middle blocker Taylor McElree (Redwood).

Gonzalez was a key reserve for the women's basketball team that went 31-1 and reached the state semifinals last season. She averaged 3.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 26 games during a season interrupted by a shoulder injury that will prevent her from returning to basketball.

"She already has that Giant mentality and competitiveness," Rix said.

McElree was a throws specialist for the women's track and field team, finishing second in discus, third in hammer and fifth in shot put for the Giants during last season's Central Valley Conference championships. She plans to continue with track in the spring.

"Having a multi-sport college athlete is a bonus," Rix said. "Taylor is a great addition to our team."

Rounding out the squad are 5-11 middle blocker/outside hitter/opposite Leilani Smith (Orange Park, Fla.) and 5-1 defensive specialist Gabriella Rodriguez (Tulare Union).

Smith had 178 kills, 126 digs and 26 blocks for Orange Park High last season.

"That's a huge change moving across the country," Rix said. "I felt like she'd be a perfect fit for our program, and here she is doing really, really well. We're really excited about her."

Rodriguez was a team captain while making 173 digs for the Tribe in 2023.

"She is just fearless," Rix said. "Really fun to coach. She's developed tremendously."

Sequoias is set to face a stiff season-opening test, taking on three conference champions in its first four matches over three days in the Bay Area.

After opening against reigning Bay Valley Conference champ Solano (26-6 last season), the Giants face Folsom Lake (8-22) at 5:15 p.m. Aug. 27 in Fairfield.

On Aug. 29, they take on Big 8 Conference co-champ American River (28-5) at 2 p.m. and Coast South Conference champ West Valley (15-13) at 4 p.m.

Sequoias will play at Porter Field House for the first time Sept. 10 as part of a tri-meet against Yuba (1 p.m.) and Cuesta (5 p.m.).

"I think they are going to be really fun to watch," said Rix, who has directed the Giants to the postseason eight times in the past nine championship seasons. "The plays that they make surprise me every day. It's really fun to see them play at such a high level.

"The good problem that I have is there is no gap between them. I can throw in any six on the court, and I trust they are going to do the same job as anyone else I put out there."

The Giants won't play at home again until Oct. 3 against Taft in the second match of the new Central Valley Conference South.

With the addition of a program at Clovis Community, the former Central Valley Conference split in two, with Coalinga, Lemoore, Porterville and Taft joining Sequoias in the CVC South. The Giants will place each school twice during CVC South play. The CVC North features Clovis Columbia, Fresno, Merced and Reedley, and Sequoias will play each of these schools once. They will compete for two separate conference titles.

Sequoias hasn't won a conference championship since 2006. But the Giants have been successful against their new conference mates, going 61-13 versus Coalinga, Lemoore, Porterville and Taft since Rix took over as coach in 2014.

Taft and Coalinga each made the NorCal Regionals last season. Fresno and Merced made it from the CVC North.

"It's a huge change," Rix said. "I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out this year. The good thing is our conference is so much stronger than it used to be."