UCLA Adds Matti McKissock and Lauren Forte to 2022 Roster

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA women's volleyball team is signing two graduate transfers to its 2022 roster in setter Matti McKissock from Georgia Tech and middle blocker Lauren Forte from Florida, head coach Michael Sealy announced on Monday morning.
 
McKissock was an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American last season for the Yellow Jackets (26-6) and helped produce two AVCA First Team All-Americans in attackers Julia Bergmann and Mariana Brambilla by facilitating the Georgia Tech offense with an ACC-best 11.81 assists per set. McKissock was a two-time All-ACC First Team selection in Fall 2021 and 2019, and took home the ACC Setter of the Year crown in 2019.
 
McKissock brings a wealth of postseason experience having helped the Georgia Tech program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004 in the 2020-21 season as well as its best finish in program history the next season at the Elite 8 in the Fall 2021 campaign.
 
"Matti McKissock is coming off an amazing year at Georgia Tech," Sealy said. "She ran a highly efficient offense and led her team to a berth in the Elite 8. Her experience and leadership will be a vital piece of our team this spring and in the 2022 season. I've loved getting to know her through the recruiting process and can't wait to get in the gym with her."
 
Georgia Tech also made its first postseason appearance since 2004 in the 2018 NIVC with McKissock running its offense as the primary setter.
 
Last season, McKissock notched six 50-plus assist outings, including a season-high 59 assists on Nov. 5, 2021.
 
McKissock averaged 10.11 assists per set and hauled in two AVCA East Coast All-Region First Team nods over her four seasons at Georgia Tech. She earned her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration while in Atlanta.
 
Lauren Forte was both a 2018 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and 2019 All-Pac-12 Team selection at California before transferring to Florida (22-9) where she picked up 2021 honorable mention plaudits in both the AVCA All-America and All-SEC postseason awards. Forte was a AVCA All-America Third Team selection in the Spring 2021 season as well.
 
"I've been watching Lauren Forte play for many years and she was a coaching nightmare when she was at Cal in trying to game plan against her," Sealy said. "She brings a wealth of experience and physicality and immediately impacts our gym. I'm excited to watch her evolve in this next chapter of her career and am so grateful to be a part of that journey."
 
In her two seasons as a Gator, Forte averaged 2.06 kills per set at an efficient .422 hitting percentage as well as 1.02 blocks per set. Forte was named to the All-SEC team her first season in the conference in 2020.
 
Forte posted five double-digit kill outings in Fall 2021, including a season-high 16 kills versus Minnesota in the preseason. Defensively, Forte posted five or more blocks on six occasions and reached double-digits once with 10 blocks at Arkansas on Nov. 12.
 
Forte was also a 2021 VolleyballMag.com Honorable Mention All-America and AVCA All-Region selection in 2021.
 
Forte ranked fifth in the Pac-12 with a .336 hitting percentage in her final season as a Golden Bear in 2019. Forte led California with 17 kills at a .355 clip in its meeting with UCLA on Oct. 27, 2019.