IRVINE, Calif. – Head coach Ashlie Hain announced five newcomers will join the UC Irvine women's volleyball program in 2019, including two transfers.

Transfers Sierra Davis and Chloe Owens, join incoming freshman Joy Umeh, Sofia Skukan and Kelly Negron.

SIERRA DAVIS
5-10, Opposite/Setter, Junior, Kansas City, MO/Long Beach City College
Davis earned All-South Coast Conference second team honors as a member of the Long Beach City team that went 22-4 overall last year. As a sophomore, she was ranked third overall in conference with a hitting percentage of .297. The team ended their season in the second round of the SoCal Regional Playoffs. Davis was also a member of LBCC's beach team, garnering South Coast All-Conference accolades twice and finishing second at the 2018 CCCAA Beach Volleyball Championships. She was a member of the Vikings' back-to-back South Coast Conference Beach titles.

The opposite played four years at Saint James Academy as well as five years for the Mid-America Volleyball Club. With Mid-America VC, she qualified for Junior National Championships each year, including a fifth place finish in 2014. On the beach, she is in the USA Volleyball Beach High Performance program, competing in USAV A2 and A3.
 
Coach Hain said: "Sierra is a solid left-handed setter trained by Misty May out of LBCC. She is enthusiastic about opportunity to not only play D1 volleyball, but passionate about UC Irvine itself. Her attitude and energy will add depth to the setter position."
 
CHLOE OWENS
5-7, Libero, Junior, Carson, Calif./Cal Poly Pomona
Owens played in 101 sets for Cal Poly Pomona last season, averaging 2.89 digs per set. She fired 24 service aces for the Broncos who went 24-6 overall and had a final national ranking of 17^th. Owens recorded a career-high 24 digs against Azusa Pacific last November. Her team advanced to the 2018 NCAA Division II Volleyball West Region semifinals. As a freshman, she averaged 1.85 digs over 65 sets. While at Cal Poly, she was a member of the 2018-19 CCAA All-Academic team, earning Dean's List or Honor Roll every quarter or semester.

Owens was a member of Redondo Union High School's 2015 CIF Div 1AA Southern Section and California State Championship winning team. The defensive specialist ended her prep career at Carson High School, where she earned first team All-CIF LA City Section and first team Open Division in 2016 as well as selected as the Daily Breeze's SoCal Prep Legend Female Player of the Week twice.

Coach Hain said: "Chloe is a great competitor with natural leadership ability. I expect her to compete for role right away."

JOY UMEH
5-8, Outside Hitter, Lakewood, Calif./Mayfair High School
Umeh was a two-time first team All-Suburban League performer at Mayfair High School. The league MVP hit .545 and recorded 347 kills as a senior. She was also a talented track and field athlete, earning Suburban League's Most Outstanding Field Athlete last year. She is a three-time league champion in the long jump and triple jump and a CIF Division 2 finalist in the long jump (2018) and triple jump (2017-18). She holds the school record in both the long jump (17'7.25") and triple jump (38'10").

Off the court, Umeh was the Student Body President as a senior and earned the City of Cerritos "Black History Month" Award as well as earning Honor Roll distinction and Scholar-Athlete all four years.

She has played club for Protégé, SoCal Juniors and Seal Beach.

Coach Hain said: "Joy was an undersized middle in high school and moved to the pin this club season. She is extremely athletic and driven. She has a lot of intangible qualities about her that allow her to play bigger than she is."

KELLY NEGRON
5-7, Setter, Mission Viejo, Calif./Trabuco Hills High School
Lived in Puerto Rico as a freshman, making the Puerto Rican national beach volleyball team.

Negron hails from Trabuco Hills High School where she was a two-time first team All-Southern Conference honoree. As a senior, she was a member of the team that advanced to CIF Division 2 final. The outside hitter was an Orange County Register first team all-county honoree.

She played club volleyball at A4 Volleyball Club.  

Coach Hain said: "Kelly has invested her entire life to the sport of volleyball. She moved from Puerto Rico to get the opportunity to play for a great club, high school and now top college program. She is a highly motivated player that will run through a wall to win. I think she will make the most of her time here and make the team better immediately."

SOFIA SKUKAN
5-6, Defensive Specialist, Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly High School
Skukan was a second team All-Moore League selection from Long Beach Poly High School. She was also a member of the Jackrabbits beach team.

She played for Seal Beach Volleyball Club, finishing second in the Open Division of the 2015 Junior Nationals and capturing first in SCVA in 2017.

The Honor Roll student will join her high school teammate Onye Ofoegbu who committed to the Anteater program earlier and was recently named to the Volleyballmag.com Fab 50 list.

Coach Hain said: "Sofia is a talented and skilled defender that wanted the opportunity to compete at UC Irvine above all else. She has great on-court instincts and her calm, controlled play will strengthen our serve receive and defense."