Steady progression has defined Long Beach City College women’s volleyball over the past few seasons.
It started in 2023, when the Vikings made a CCCAA regional appearance. They bowed out in the state quarterfinals the following season before falling to eventual state champion Feather River in the 3C2A semifinals a year ago.
Maintaining that trend will require a state championship appearance at minimum this season. But even for an LBCC roster that underwent significant turnover during the offseason, that benchmark still appears to be within reach.
“I will say, this has been by far the most mature freshman incoming class that we’ve had,” LBCC coach Misty Jackson said.
Leaning on that maturity will be crucial for the Vikings at the beginning of their season.
They play three nonconference matches before traveling to Fresno for the NorCal vs. SoCal Showcase during the first weekend of September. There, they’ll face San Mateo, San Joaquin Delta, Fresno and Feather River.
LBCC faced the latter three teams at last season’s NorCal vs. SoCal Showcase, falling to each as part of an 0-6 start to the campaign.
But as Jackson acknowledged, a tough start can be overcome with a strong finish. That’s exactly how last season played out.
LBCC went 18-2 to end the year and avenged its early-season loss to San Joaquin Delta in the 3C2A quarterfinals. The Vikings’ run also included an undefeated South Coast Conference-South Division championship in which they didn’t drop a set.
Jackson believes last year’s early-season adversity and subsequent turnaround will help her returners guide a freshman-heavy squad this season.
The sophomore leadership onus will largely fall on captains Kyla Jones and Marissa Krebs.
The 5-foot-7 Jones led LBCC with 127 kills from the outside hitter position a year ago. At 6-foot-1, Krebs is tied for the tallest player on the Vikings’ roster — as was the case in 2025 — and should continue to be a defensive stalwart at middle blocker. Jackson said Krebs has even drawn attention from Division I programs.
Freshman Mariah Mauga was also named a captain alongside Jones and Krebs. A setter, Mauga is filling a critical role for the Vikings this year. Setters Emeli Muagututi’a and Camille Agrupis accounted for around 73% of the team’s assists last season, though both graduated.
Jackson also tipped freshman libero Maile Mckinnon and outside hitter Jourdynaire Kekauoha-Viena to have strong inaugural campaigns. Kekauoha-Viena has received interest from Division I programs, according to Jackson.
Mauga and Kekauoha-Viena both came to LBCC from out of state, a testament to the program’s growing prominence as a byproduct of its recent success.
“It’s easy when you’re the head coach to get all the credit when things are good. But, and I always say this, I think I have one of the best assistant coaching staffs in California,” Jackson said. “It’s our job to get these athletes out, and not just stay at LBCC.”
Acclimating a large freshman class with players from several different states can be challenging, though Jackson feels her team has handled it well during the preseason. The Vikings have also benefited from practicing together since early July.
“A lot of these girls are like, ‘Coach, when do I need to be on campus? What do we need to do?’” Jackson said. “It just shows everyone’s dedication.”
That group effort has turned into tangible results in practice so far.
“We’ve recently been breaking things down into like an A-side, B-side format of things in practice,” Jackson said. “When you walk in, you can’t really tell who’s on the A-side and who’s on the B-side because everyone is working hard and hustling.”
Jackson also complimented her team’s togetherness, noting that it can sometimes be difficult to come by at the junior college level because many athletes are focused on their individual goals and aspirations. An off-court exercise has likely helped create a sense of unity, too.
Jackson had her players read Jim Afremow’s The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive this summer. She said the Vikings discuss a chapter from the book every Monday.
“I think coaches focus a lot on the skill set, strategizing,” Jackson said. “At the same time, … you forget the mental side of things and that usually is part of the reason why a team isn’t successful in those hard moments.”
The Vikings opened their season with wins over San Diego Mesa and Orange Coast College in the LBCC Tri meet Friday, providing an encouraging first step for a team with plenty of new faces.
The victories also helped LBCC earn the No. 2 spot in California in the most recent 3C2A rankings.
It’s fair to believe Jackson’s young squad will experience some growing pains during the season. But as the Vikings proved a year ago, overcoming adversity can catapult a team to a deep playoff run — something that has become the expectation at LBCC.
