After breaking numerous school records and collecting the Mission Trail Athletic League Most Valuable Player award two years in a row — a first for Anzar — senior volleyball player Alex Flores will attend UC Santa Barbara next year after receiving a full ride to the Division I school earlier this month.
The Gauchos offered Flores a complete scholarship after only actively pursuing her for a few weeks, Flores said.
“All of a sudden they were coming to a lot of my club matches,” Flores said. “I didn’t think they were there for me at first, but then they called me and asked for me to come down.”
Two days later — in early March — Flores drove to Santa Barbara and took a tour of the campus. Then a week later, Flores was offered a four-year scholarship.
“It’s a beautiful campus and a great school,” Flores said. “I can’t wait.”
She is the third Anzar athlete to receive a scholarship to a Division I school, assistant volleyball coach Luis Espinoza said.
Flores considered a similar offer from Humboldt State, but chose the Gauchos after discussing the offers with family, friends and coaches, she said.
“It was a hard decision,” she said. “Honestly, when they called I thought I was going to Santa Barbara. I wanted to be at Santa Barbara — I always wanted to play at Division I school. It’s been my dream.”
It was hard to turn down Humboldt, which had been recruiting her throughout the year. “The coach at Humboldt was an Olympic setter and she was really great,” Flores said. “Humboldt is a Division II school and I was set to play there, but Santa Barbara is a Division I school and it’s a beautiful school. I was fortunate.”
At Humboldt, Flores would have started immediately, and at Santa Barbara, she will need to work for playing time, she said.
“I was told I would be a star at Humboldt,” Flores said. “At Santa Barbara, I will have to work hard for playing time. I’m ready for it.”
In her final year at Anzar High, Flores broke a school record with 797 kills and was voted the league’s MVP for the second time.Flores also helped lead the Hawks to their first Central Coast Section Division V home playoff win — a 3-0 victory over Crystal Springs Uplands.
Flores earned the MVP award in the previous year with 394 kills for Anzar.
Flores has played competitive volleyball for the past six years, she said. The scholarship offer was a culmination of six years of hard work.
At Santa Barbara, Flores will spend more time in the weight room and on the volleyball court, she said.
“It’s amazing to be able to accomplish something like this,” Flores said. “All that hard work paid off. I can’t wait to be a Gaucho.”
