SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Mojo has signed All-Star middle blocker Marin Grote for the 2026 season, the organization announced on Thursday. A native of Burbank, Calif., Grote spent the last two seasons with the Grand Rapids Rise.
“I am so excited to join the San Diego Mojo. Growing up in Southern California makes this a coming-home and living-the-dream moment for me,” Grote said. “I never thought I would get to play professional volleyball where my friends and family can so easily be a part of the journey. I can't wait to make this the best season yet with the Mojo!"
Grote appeared in 18 matches and 48 sets for Grand Rapids in 2025, finishing with 58 kills (.331), 26 blocks, four aces and 25 digs, and earned a selection to the Inaugural All-Star Match. She had a season-high 14 points with eight kills, five blocks, one ace in a five-set win over Orlando (1/30).
In 2024, Grote helped guide the Rise to the inaugural PVF Championship Match after securing the fourth seed for the championships. She played in 24 regular-season matches (23 starts) and featured in every set except the first frame of the year for Grand Rapids, recording a team-high 64 blocks and 17 aces to go with 147 kills (.300), 58 digs, and seven assists. She put down a block in 22 matches with three or more blocks in 15 matches. Grote had a season-high 17 points with 13 kills (.650) and four blocks in a four-set loss to the Mojo (5/4).
Before arriving in Grand Rapids, Grote played one season in the Athletes Unlimited Pro League in 2023, scoring 1,426 points (38th best in the league) after making her pro debut with Sigortashop in Turkey during the 2022-23 campaign.
An All-American at the University of Washington, Grote was a two-time Pac-12 Champion (2020, 2021) with the Huskies, closing out her collegiate career ranked fourth in program history with a .380 attacking percentage. She earned 2022 All-Pac-12 and AVCA All-Region accolades following her final season in Seattle. In 2021, Grote was named to the AVCA All-American Second Team, AVCA All-Region Team and All-Pac-12 Team, leading the Pac-12 with a .415 attack percentage, which was the sixth-best single-season mark in school history. She also averaged career highs with 2.13 kills per set and 1.05 blocks per set. Grote guided the Huskies to the NCAA Final Four in 2020-21 after reaching the Elite Eight in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Grote attended John Burroughs High where she was a three-time Pacific League MVP, earning All-CIF First Team and First Team All-SoCal honors. She was also a four-year letterwinner in basketball and was an All-Area First Team selection as a junior and a senior and Second Team as a sophomore. Grote played club for six years with San Gabriel Elite, helping the club take fifth at 2018 Junior Nationals, third in 2017 and second in 2015 as she earned All-Tournament and All-America honors.
Grote is the 10th Mojo signee for the 2026 season, joining outside hitters Kendra Dahlke and Maya Tabron, opposite Morgan Lewis, middle blockers Kayla Caffey, Taylor Sandbothe, and McKenna Vicini, setters Marlie Monserez and August Raskie, and libero Shara Venegas. Additional roster announcements will be made throughout the free agency window, and fans can follow every San Diego signing through the Mojo Free Agent Tracker.
Fans can place deposits now for 2026 Season Memberships at the team’s website, LetsGoMojo.com. For more information, contact the team at tickets@sandiegomojovb.com or call (619) 984-6656 (MOJO).
Player Details
Name: Marin Grote
Position: Middle Blocker
Height: 6-4
Date of Birth: December 16, 1999
Hometown: Burbank, Calif.
Country: United States
College: Washington
ABOUT SAN DIEGO MOJO
San Diego Mojo is a women’s professional volleyball team in San Diego, Calif. and is a founding member of Major League Volleyball (MLV), the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The team is owned by longtime San Diegan and UC San Diego alum Gary E. Jacobs, a co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Charter School and managing director of Jacobs Investment Company (JIC).
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
Major League Volleyball, entering its third season, is the longest-running formal professional volleyball league for women in the United States. Designed to elevate the sport through world-class competition, commercial innovation, and cultural relevance, MLV brings together elite athletes, visionary leadership and global ambition. With alignment to USA Volleyball and a commitment to Olympic development, MLV serves as the premier pathway from professional play to the world stage. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
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