UC Santa Cruz Women's Volleyball Update with a closer look at the freshman class

The UC Santa Cruz Women's Volleyball team is currently navigating a competitive 2025 season with a strong infusion of new talent. Here's a comprehensive look at their current state and upcoming schedule, with a special highlight on the freshman class.

Slugging it Out: UCSC Women's Volleyball at a Glance

As of late September 2025, the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs hold an overall record of 7-8. Competing as an NCAA Division III independent program in the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C), the team has shown promise, particularly in closely contested matches.

The team has demonstrated their ability to push top competition, highlighted by a thrilling 3-2 victory over Pomona-Pitzer. While a challenging 3-0 loss to No. 18 Hope College provided a benchmark for national-level play, the team continues to develop their game, leaning on the offensive production of key players like Gabia Paliulis and Olly Gordon, and the setting expertise of Margo Melgoza.

🌟 Impact of the Freshman Class

The 2025 freshman class represents an important part of the program's future, contributing depth and energy across the court.

The five first-year players for the Banana Slugs this season are:

Jersey #	Player Name	Position	Hometown	Role/Contribution
2	Ashlyn Victa	Defensive Specialist (DS)	Walnut Creek, CA	A key addition to the back-row defense, providing depth in digging and serve receive.
5	Shiraz Benyoucef	Defensive Specialist (DS)	Washington, D.C.	An athletic defensive player who has stepped into a contributing role, providing valuable minutes in the back court.
9	Maddie Marshall	Middle Blocker (MB)	San Jose, CA	A young presence at the net who is developing her blocking and hitting game in the middle.
12	Charlotte Skulte	Middle Blocker (MB)	Halifax, MA	Has made an immediate impact, notably leading the team in service aces and contributing high hitting efficiency from the middle.
24	Mia Ngo	Opposite Hitter (OPP)	Turlock, CA	A left-handed opposite who adds versatility and a unique attack angle to the right side of the court.

This group is already seeing playing time and is gaining valuable collegiate experience, setting the stage for their future growth as Slugs.

Upcoming Schedule 📅

The remainder of the schedule is set to test the Banana Slugs against strong non-conference opponents as they move towards the later stages of the season.

Date	Opponent	Time (PDT)	Location
Fri, Oct 3	at University of Mary Washington	5:00 PM	Fredericksburg, VA (Mary Washington)
Sat, Oct 4	vs Whittier College	10:00 AM	Fredericksburg, VA (Mary Washington)
Sat, Oct 4	vs Whittier College	1:30 PM	Fredericksburg, VA (Mary Washington)
Fri, Oct 17	vs California Lutheran University	3:30 PM	Santa Cruz, CA

Support the Banana Slugs as their talented roster, including a strong group of first-year players, battles through the rest of the 2025 season!