STOCKTON, Calif.- The Pacific volleyball program has been hard at work, welcoming six to its ranks for the upcoming 2024 season. The Tigers, having made their third straight postseason appearance while finishing fourth in the WCC in 2023, added three freshmen and three transfers ahead of the fall.
 
"I am extremely excited for this recruiting class. They are great competitors and will be great additions to a veteran team that returns 12 players," head coach Greg Gibbons shared. "We have a recruiting class that will help make an immediate impact on and off the court with the additions of Zoe [John] and Mikiyah [Irby] at the pins, Alyson [Cox] and Angelina [Sun] at the setter position, Margherita [Giani] in the middle, and Jayhlin [Swain] at the libero."
 
Incoming freshman Angelina Sun, a Diamond Bar, Calif. native, was 2023 Player of the Year after a successful campaign in her final season at Southlands Christian School. Sun, a four-time letter winner, earned all-academic honors all four years. She was named MVP in 2022, while garnering Female Athlete of the Year in 2021. 
 
In back-to-back seasons (2022, 2023), Sun was named CIF-SS First Team. Through her senior season, she recorded 234 kills, 97 aces and 37 blocks, while guiding the Eagles to the CIF Semifinals in 2023.
 
Fellow freshman, Alyson Cox, has familial ties to Pacific. Both parents attended here as student-athletes where her mother played volleyball and her father played football. The Boise native was a four time all-conference academic award winner at Timberline High School. She was named all-conference first team in both her senior and junior seasons after earning an honorable mention as a sophomore.
 
The freshman setter helped guide Timberline to a runner up finish at the Idaho 5A State Tournament in her junior season. The two time all-state first team honoree ended her senior season with a .244 hitting percentage, averaging 3.9 kills per set.
 
The final addition to the class of 2028 is Queen Creek, Ariz. native Zoe John. The outside hitter was a three-time all-tournament team honoree and crowned offensive player of the year for her region in 2023. 
 
John amassed 982 kills, 504 digs, 69 blocks and 145 aces over her tenure at Highland High School. For her efforts, she was named All-Region First Team in back-to-back seasons her junior and senior year.
 
From just up the road is incoming transfer, junior Jayhlin Swain. The Sacramento native joins Pacific by way of Michigan State, where she received All-Academic honors. The libero combined for 287 digs and 49 service aces, while averaging 1.59 digs per set in two seasons with the Spartans. 
 
A graduate of Cosumnes Oaks High School, Swain was named MVP in her senior season and defensive player of the year as a sophomore. She helped guide the Wolfpack to three state tournaments and a 3rd place finish in 2018. She broke the school record of digs in a single season (465), while tallying 1,295 digs during her four years.
 
Also from Sacramento, is transfer Mikiyah Irby, who spent the last two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College. The two-time All-American outside hitter was a back-to-back Big 8 Champ with the Mustangs. Irby recorded 881 career kills during her two years, ranking fourth in the state in kills per set (4.74) and third in hitting percentage (.380).
 
Irby and the Mustangs made multiple appearances at the state tournament during her tenure. In 2023, she was recognized by the AVA (American Volleyball Association) as one of the players to watch.
 
Rounding out the transfers is graduate student Margherita Giani, who joins Pacific by way of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. The graduate was a 2023 WAC All-Academic honoree and made both the Dean's and President's lists. She was a key part of the 2022 regular season championship team with the Vaqueros, helping guide them to their third postseason appearance in 2023.
 
The middle blocker ranked fifth in program history with a .276 hitting percentage at the conclusion of the 2023 season and fourth with .87 blocks per set. In her first season with the Vaqueros, Giani led the WAC in blocks (123) and ranked sixth in the league in blocks per set (.96).
 
"I am excited to get going in the fall and for the potential of this team. We have a very experienced team returning and just got better with the additions of our incoming class.  I can't wait to begin this journey together," Gibbons said.
 
For all the latest on Pacific Volleyball, be sure to follow the team on X (@PacificVball), Instagram (@pacificvolleyball) and Facebook page (Pacific Volleyball).
 
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