STANFORD, Calif. – Head coach Kevin Hambly has announced the five incoming freshman, who will join the Stanford women's volleyball team this fall.
The freshman class consists of Alex Lougeay (Encinitas, Calif.), Elena Oglivie (Honolulu, Hawaii), Annabelle Smith (Southlake, Texas), Leilah Smith (DeSoto, Texas) and Malia Tufuga (Costa Mesa, Calif.).
"With the loss of so many great players it was really important for us to fill a lot of very important roles for this upcoming season," said Hambly. "Along with last year's freshman class, we feel like we were able to fill those roles and help keep Stanford in the mix for national championships. This class brings a great blend of athleticism and skill to our program. There are a lot of championships won by this group by players who have played vital roles in their teams' success."
Lougeay, who played her prep career at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, California, is a 5-11 defensive specialist/libero. Her team was the runner-up at the 2019 CIF SS Division I state championship after placing third in the open division in San Diego. She competed for Coast Volleyball club and also played beach volleyball in high school, winning four San Diego section championships. She landed on several watch lists, including 2017 AVCA Phenom List, 2018 Defensive Dandies, 2018 and 2019 Ultra Ankle Watch List and PrepVolleyball Class of 2020 Watch List.
Oglivie is a 5-10 libero/outside hitter out of Honolulu. A two-time state champion at Iolani School, she is a four-time PrepVolleyball.com high school All-American and three-time Hawai'i Gatorade Player of the Year. A two-time VolleyballMag.com Second Team All-American, she is a two-time Honolulu Star-Advertiser State Player of the Year and four-time all-state honoree. A two-time team captain, she is a VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selection and PrepVolleyball.com No. 36 Senior Ace. Oglivie is a member of Kui'kahi VBC and played for the U.S. Youth National Team, which won gold at the 2019 U18 World Championships.
A standout at Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, Texas, Annabelle Smith is a 6-2 middle blocker. A VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 pick and PrepVolleyball.com's No. 26 Senior Ace, she was an AVCA Under Armour Second Team All-American in 2019. She was also a two-time PrepVolleyball.com All-American and a first team all-academic selection in 2019-20. A three-time all-state first team honoree, she captained her team as a senior, being named to the All-State Senior All-Star Team. She played club for Skyline Juniors and Texas Advantage Volleyball.
Leilah Smith, a 6-5 middle blocker, hails from DeSoto, Texas where she attended The Hockaday School in Dallas. A 2019 AVCA Under Armour First Team All-American, she played in the high school All-America match in Orlando. A three-time team MVP, she was a finalist for USA Today High School Sports Dallas Girls Volleyball Player of the Year. A VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selection, she has also earned all-state recognition. She was teammates with Annabelle Smith, playing for Texas Advantage Volleyball.
Tufuga, a 6-1 setter, was a standout at Costa Mesa High School. A multi-sport athlete, she also lettered in basketball, softball, water polo and golf. A four-time All-Orange Coast League first team selection, she was the league MVP in 2019. A two-time team captain, she was a three-time Daily Pilot Dream Team pick and a two-time team MVP. She played club for Apex1 Volleyball Club.
"These student-athletes are also incredible human beings and will fit Stanford University, the athletic department and our volleyball program very well. We are excited to integrate them with the rest of the team!"