Poets Volleyball: Setting the Tone in a Ruthless Sport
Maia Chaidez | SPORTS EDITOR
September 03, 2026
Volleyball is one of the more ruthless sports. Not necessarily due to its physicality, but rather due to how high those stakes get as soon as that ball is served.
It is a sport where team chemistry is more important than how hard you can spike the ball. A sport where games constantly come down to the wire. Where team play is encouraged to the absolute max and selfish plays are heavily punished. A sport where just one tiny simple mistake could cost your team the game.
Just last year, the Poets’ Volleyball team ended their season with a conference record of 11-5, finished third in the standings, and made it to the semifinals of the 2025 SCIAC Volleyball Tournament before falling 3-0 to the would-be SCIAC champions, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
However, that was last year, and this year Whittier College’s volleyball team is gearing up for another successful season of patented Poets volleyball.
Fourth year Malena The, one of the College’s veteran volleyball players says, “Our goal is always winning [the] SCIAC and going to the postseason tournament […] We have a lot of girls on our team this year but that also means a lot of talent!”
The was one of four Poets named 2025 Academic All-District for women’s volleyball by the College Sports Communicators. This accolade is only given to players that excel in the classroom hailing a GPA of 3.50 and above, as well as excelling in their respective sports.
Current players, fourth year Mia D’Amato and third year Alyssa Gonzalez, were also named alongside former Poet Jessica Ferreira. The shares some insight on the journey to receiving that honor.
“I really enjoy all of my classes. They are challenging, stimulating, and, since we have smaller class sizes, I really feel pushed by my peers, professors, and mentors to try my hardest,” The says. “During a time in our young careers when it’s so easy to get distracted or to take the easy way out, I find it even more motivating to see people learning the right way,” The says, putting the student in studentathlete.
The transferred from Santiago Canyon College to Whittier College for the Sociology program as well as knowing what makes a successful volleyball program from her two older sisters who have also played at other SCIAC colleges.
“After meeting a few times with my current coach (Chris Duarte-McDermott), I was feeling very confident in his vision and passion for the success and well-being of the team.”
The then goes on to say, “After meeting the girls, I was completely in awe of the amazing and successful women our coach had recruited!”
But what makes a good volleyball program, you ask? The has the answer. “We are always encouraging discipline and ‘going for it.’” She also shares that the team has also recently coined the term, “‘No fluff,’ as a reminder that giving all of your effort into an action opens up many opportunities to succeed. And that chance to miss that opportunity is much greater than the potential ‘failure.’”
Whittier College Volleyball returns to play on Sept. 4 at the Pacific Coast Classic against Westminster College and Gordon College in Claremont and La Verne, California, respectively.
Could this be the year Poets volleyball goes all the way?