MORAGA, Calif. — In anticipation of the upcoming fall Women's Volleyball season for Saint Mary's College, the Gaels announced their most recent commit for the 2020 indoor season. Makenna Joyce will be joining the Gaels as a freshman, and brings with her a decorated high school career that should translate nicely over to the West Coast Conference.
 
Joyce stands at 5'7" and hails from Chico, making her another in a list of relatively local players the Gaels have recruited under the reign of head coach Rob Browning. She was one of the most well-rounded student-athletes at Pleasant Valley High School, where she will be graduating this year. A varsity letter-winner in both volleyball and basketball, Joyce found success on the volleyball court to the tune of 804 kills and 1,351 digs across her career as a Viking. Adding to her stats, she recorded a hitting percentage of 23.4%, 40 total blocks, and an incredible 306 aces.
 
The statistics were not the only thing that stood out with regards to her high school career, where she made First Team All-League in each of her four years, winning the league's MVP award as a junior and a senior. In a variety of local tournaments across the state, Joyce took home MVP honors, including three times at the tournament hosted by the Pleasant Valley, and once at the Burbank Tournament in the fall of 2019.

"Makenna is an absolute gem," noted head coach Rob Browning. "Her skill level is outstanding and will raise the bar in our gym the moment she steps on the floor. Perhaps Makenna's greatest asset is her competitive spirit. She is a champion with the character traits that embody everything it means to be a Gael. We are fortunate to include Makenna in our volleyball family and look forward to the years ahead with her helping to lead the way to success on the court and in the classroom."

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