Rancho Cucamonga senior setter Mary Bagshaw has committed to UC San Diego where she plans to walk on with the volleyball team.
The decision had much to do with academics. Bagshaw is undecided on a major but is considering something in a medical field. She didn’t consider any other school.
“It really was my first choice all along,” she said. “It’s a good school academically and the volleyball program is very competitive so it was the best of both worlds for me.”
Bagshaw registered 697 assists, 117 digs and 19 service aces in helping the Cougars to a 28-7 showing that included a 10-0 mark in Baseline League play last year. Her playing time was sporadic depending on whether senior Kylie Miller was used in a hitting or a setting role.
But the Cougars will be reliant on her in the fall with Miller having graduated and moving on to UCLA. Rancho returns a pair of Division I players in outside hitter Bria Beale and middle blocker Karson Bacon who has committed to UC Irvine and Oregon respectively.
“I am very excited about next season. I think we’re still going to be very good,” she said. “I definitely learned a lot from playing and practicing with Kylie and I am ready.”
UC San Diego is coach by Ricci Luyties, a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic Team in 1988. The Tritons are coming off a 20-12 showing last year, including a 14-6 mark in CCAA play that was good enough for third place in the tough conference.
