Women’s Volleyball Signs Leilani Dodson, Sofia Victoria

LOS ANGELES – UCLA women's volleyball head coach Alfee Reft has signed middle blocker Leilani Dodson from Northwestern and outside hitter Sofia Victoria from Florida to his 2024 roster.
 
Both Dodson and Victoria will be graduate students for the 2024 season.
 
Dodson, a 6-1 middle from La Grange, Ill., averaged 1.91 kills per set and 0.85 blocks per set over her three-year Northwestern career. Dodson recorded a .300+ hitting percentage in each of her three seasons. In 2023, Dodson led a 15-15 Wildcats squad with a .340 hitting percentage and ranked second with 235 kills (2.10 KPS).
 
"I could not be more thrilled that Leilani has chosen to be a Bruin for her fifth and final collegiate season," Reft said. "Leilani brings a quick and dynamic block and attack to our 2024 squad and has proven to be effective on both sides of the ball through the course of her career. Specifically, with our move into the Big Ten Conference, her time competing at Northwestern will serve our team well as she helps guide us into new territories of competition. Our program looks forward to welcoming Leilani to Westwood!"
 
Prior to Northwestern, Dodson spent her 2021 Spring freshman season at BYU where she helped the Cougars to a 17-2 record and Sweet 16 appearance. Dodson was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team after racking up 104 kills, 41 blocks, 20 digs and 14 aces in the regular season.
 
Dodson is the second Wildcat middle blocker in as many years to transfer to UCLA and play her graduate campaign in Westwood. Middle blocker Desiree Becker, who competed for the Bruins in 2023 after four seasons at Northwestern, was one of the most valuable transfer additions in the Pac-12 Conference last year. Becker led UCLA with 136 blocks and totaled 167 kills (1.42 KPS) for a .335 hitting percentage.
 
Victoria, a 6-1 pin hitter from Gurabo, Puerto Rico, was a starter on two NCAA Tournament squads at Florida during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Victoria averaged 2.56 kills per set for a .210 hitting percentage over her four-year career for the Gators.
 
She was named AVCA All-Southeast Region Honorable Mention in her junior 2022 season after ranking third on the team with 286 kills (.223%) and sixth with 35 blocks. Florida won the SEC Championship and earned a Sweet 16 berth that season.
 
"We are excited to welcome Sofia to our Bruin Volleyball Family," Reft said. "Sofia brings in four years of top-collegiate volleyball experience as well as an international level of experience, having trained and competed with her Puerto Rican National Team. She is a dynamic attacker with speed and power and will add one more dimension to our offense. In addition to her play, she is a great competitor who will without a doubt enhance the collective team connection on and off the court. We look forward to welcoming Sofia to the team and to Westwood this fall."
 
Victoria brings several years of national team experience playing for her home country Puerto Rico. She was selected as team captain for the Puerto Rico 18U National Team to compete in the 18U Pan American Cup and 20U Pan American Cup. Victoria was a silver medalist at the 18U Pan American Cup and was the second-best scorer at the 20U Pan American Cup, setting the record for the most points in a single match with 31 points versus Chile.
 
With the Puerto Rico Women's National Team, Victoria earned a bronze medal at the FIVB Challenge Cup in 2018 and finished sixth at the 2018 Pan American Cup.

Women's Volleyball 2024 Newcomers
Fr. Zoë Humphrey (MB)
Fr. Kiki Horne (OH)
Gr. Leilani Dodson (MB)
Gr. Sofia Victoria (OH)