Two Arizona volleyball players enter transfer portal

Despite the departure of Giehtbrock, Arizona still has the two setters that were likely going to battle it out for the starting position. Both are incoming transfers who were recruited after Scoggins left.

Maria Olga ‘Mo’ Siapani arrived from the University of Albany for the spring semester. The sophomore handled most of the setting duties for Arizona during the spring, although Giehtbrock did get some time during Arizona’s spring tournament in McKale Center.

Former Notre Dame setter Harmony Sample will join Siapani and the rest of the Wildcats for the fall semester. Sample was completing her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame this spring, so she did not join Arizona for the training season.

Although Sample was part of a 6-2 offense at Notre Dame, Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs said the Wildcats will stick with their traditional 5-1. That means Siapani and Sample will battle for the starting position.

The Wildcats are still in need of depth at every position except the “littles.” They already have 2-year starting libero Brenna Ginder on the roster. Behind her are rising sophomores Brookelyn Hatton and Shea Davis. They also have highly-regarded freshman Gigi Whann arriving for the fall.

They will seek players for the other three position groups from the portal. Depth is a need, but getting an impact player would not hurt, either.

While a team can get by with two setters, Stubbs would prefer to have three on the roster. Giehtbrock’s transfer brings them back down to two for the fall roster.

Stubbs would also prefer to have six pins. With the departure of Thies, she will have five on the team when fall rolls around. All five are already in Tucson, although Cisneros has been practicing with the beach team for the past few months. She has been doing morning lifts with the indoor team to keep in touch with her teammates.

The team will have four middle blockers on the roster when fall comes. Senior-to-be Journey Tucker will lead the way. Tucker did not play in all of the spring tournaments, but she is healthy and she attended tournaments with her team even when she did not play.

The next one in the middle is rising junior Adrianna Bridges. Behind her is current freshman Maya Flemister. They will be joined by incoming freshman Marina Vosloo in the fall.

The two transfers out join Scoggins and former defensive specialist Giorgia Mandotti as those who left with eligibility remaining. Mandotti graduated from Arizona and was honored on senior day. She will play her grad year at West Georgia. Former Arizona middle blocker/pin Sydnie Vanek also left the team to focus on track and field.