Women’s volleyball kicked off their 2025 fall season with a perfect 3-0 record at the Golden Eagle Classic, receiving PacWest Team of the Week honors. The Golden Eagles achieved a clean sweep at their home tournament, conquering Western Oregon, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Texas Woman’s University on Sept. 5 and 6. 

The team is buzzing with excitement after a successful weekend defending the nest, and players said they are hungry for more.

Junior Kayden Croy said, “It’s very exciting and even though we have a lot of work to do, I feel like it’s definitely reassuring to all the hard work we put in the first few weeks.” 

The PacWest team of the week is not settling there. Sophomore Macy Sheer said, “We want a bigger thing at the end of this season so all these little accolades throughout the year will help us reach that end goal.” That end goal is winning a PacWest championship.

These ladies are ready for all the challenges they will face this season. For Junior Dominique Vadeboncoeur, success will come from tenacity. “I think [we need to accept that] we are going to have things that aren’t going our way,” said Vadeboncoeur. “Instead of using those as excuses, [allow] them to be felt and [move] on quickly because everyone is feeling that way,” she said.

The key to success is not just the hard work they have put in on the court, but also the intentional bonding off the court. Sophomore Delaney Gregg said, “A strong team chemistry has helped us a lot. I feel like we really grew closer together in the preseason and double days, and it feels like we’ve just really bonded together. I feel like trusting each other helps us a lot.” 

This year’s motto, “We over me,” encapsulates the team’s culture. “We, the team, like everyone together is greater than one person, so putting the team before yourself is the goal,” Sheer said. “I think everyone just cares so much about each other, and I think we all just want the best for each other and the best for our team.” 

The ladies feel like their success is a result of the team culture they have built. They work hard on and off the court to care for each other and build that trust that a team needs to be successful. Croy added that support is the foundation of their success. “I feel like everyone is pouring into each other, so I would say supportive is our team culture right now.” 

The volleyball team hopes to build on this success as they start games in the PacWest Conference. Come out and support the Golden Eagles at their conference opener Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. The ladies will face the 2024 PacWest champions, Chaminade, at home. 

Visit https://cuigoldeneagles.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule to find more games and information on the Women’s Volleyball team. 

Tags: volleyball, women's athletics, sports

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