Professional Experience

• Played in 20 matches (14 starts) and 76 sets for the Grand Rapids Rise in the inaugural 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation season, recording 240 digs and 31 assists
• Set a Rise franchise record with most digs in a match with 26 against the San Diego Mojo on Feb. 23, 2024
• Member of Team USA Beach Volleyball for five years... Part of youngest team to ever represent the USA in beach volleyball at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
• Part of Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour (AVP) for six years and part of Federation Internationale de Volleyball Tour (FIVB) for five seasons
• Gold at 2021 FIVB World Tour Sochi and Ostrava
• Gold at 2022 AVP Tour Hermosa Beach and silver at 2022 FIVB World Tour Cape Town
• AVP Defensive Player of the Year in 2022
• Silver medal at 2023 FIVB World Tour Ostrava and bronze at 2023 FIVB World Tour Itapema

College Experience

• Two-time beach volleyball national champion at UCLA (2018 and 2019)
• 2018 VolleyMob All-American First Team, VolleyMob Pair of the Year with Lily Justine, and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention
• Competed at UCLA from 2017-19
• From 2014-17, suited up with Loyola Marymount University, finishing ninth in school history with 1,193 kills and 3.43 kills per set, and seventh with 3,063 assists
• 2017 WCC Player of the Year and All-WCC First Team
• In 2017, ranked third in the country with 1,325 total assists and second with 11.23 assists per set
• Gold medal with Team USA Beach Volleyball at 2016 Four Nations U21 Tournament
• Finished fourth at 2016 FIVB U21 World Championships, which was highest finish from the U.S.
• As a freshman in 2014, named to WCC All-Freshman Team and AVCA Pacific South Region Freshman of the Year

High School / Club Experience

• Four-year letterwinner at Veritas Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Ariz., coached by Wes Goodwin
• Earned All-American accolades in each of her final three seasons
• Guided her team to the state championship in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and a runner-up finish in 2013
• Selected as the Small School Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior, and Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013

Personal Information

• Her older sister, Rebecca, played volleyball at Regis University (2011-16)
• Majored in sociology
• Started playing volleyball at 6 years old as a setter
• Favorite charities include SVDP and World Concern
• Traveled with World Concern to Kenya in 2023 and held volleyball exhibition matches, and donated 100 volleyballs and several volleyball nets to local schools
• Favorite music is country, including musical artists Morgan Wallen, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, and Gabby Barrett

Sarah Sponcil's Personal Website