Wake Forest Athletics
Demon Deacons Volleyball Announces Signing of Ricks
1/8/2024 11:32:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Welcome to Wake Forest, Laila Ricks!
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As the New Year opens, a new member has been added to the Wake Forest volleyball family, with head coach Randi Smart and the program announcing the signing of right-side hitter Laila Ricks on Monday (Jan. 8).
Ricks will enter the 2024-25 school year as a graduate student, having spent her previous tenure at the University of Maryland.
"We are very excited to add Laila!" said Coach Smart. "She is fast, physical and is going to bring a competitive edge that we want to have in this gym. We feel she is going to make an immediate impact the moment she arrives on campus. Laila is going to make a great addition to this recruiting class."
Laila Ricks | 6-0 | Right-Side Hitter | Torrance, Calif. | University of Maryland
Having competed with the Maryland Terrapins for the last four seasons, Ricks brings ample experience as a right-side hitter. Through her collegiate career, the California native has totaled over 470 kills and notched a personal-best average of 1.84 kills per set in the 2023 campaign. This past fall also featured Ricks tallying a new career high in kills (13) in an early-season home win over Coastal Carolina (Sept. 8, 2023). Defensively, she helped Maryland act as one of the strongest blocking teams in the Big Ten, collecting over 350 total rejections during her tenure. Ricks' junior year saw her dish out 30 service aces, good for a third-best mark on the team. Additionally, in that same season, she enjoyed her most efficient career performance on the hitting end, going 10-of-12 on attacks while suffering only error (.750) versus Georgetown (Sept. 2, 2022). Other accolades include:
Why Wake?:
"I chose Wake Volleyball because it instantly stood out to me as an institution that strongly aligns with my educational interests and athletic goals," said Ricks. "I love the direction of growth that the program has made headway in and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. The opportunity to compete in a Power 5 conference with educational experience at a top-50 university is extremely valuable to me as a graduate scholar-athlete. The culture the coaches have created further drew me in with the strong family-like atmosphere, competitive nature, and the hunger for success. I am beyond excited to be a Demon Deacon and an addition to the Wake Forest Volleyball program!"
Off of the court, Ricks plans to pursue a master's degree in Health and Exercise Science.
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Ricks will enter the 2024-25 school year as a graduate student, having spent her previous tenure at the University of Maryland.
"We are very excited to add Laila!" said Coach Smart. "She is fast, physical and is going to bring a competitive edge that we want to have in this gym. We feel she is going to make an immediate impact the moment she arrives on campus. Laila is going to make a great addition to this recruiting class."
Laila Ricks | 6-0 | Right-Side Hitter | Torrance, Calif. | University of Maryland
Having competed with the Maryland Terrapins for the last four seasons, Ricks brings ample experience as a right-side hitter. Through her collegiate career, the California native has totaled over 470 kills and notched a personal-best average of 1.84 kills per set in the 2023 campaign. This past fall also featured Ricks tallying a new career high in kills (13) in an early-season home win over Coastal Carolina (Sept. 8, 2023). Defensively, she helped Maryland act as one of the strongest blocking teams in the Big Ten, collecting over 350 total rejections during her tenure. Ricks' junior year saw her dish out 30 service aces, good for a third-best mark on the team. Additionally, in that same season, she enjoyed her most efficient career performance on the hitting end, going 10-of-12 on attacks while suffering only error (.750) versus Georgetown (Sept. 2, 2022). Other accolades include:
- Three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2021-23)
- 2022 Stony Brook Invitational All-Tournament Team
- 2021 Charm City Challenge All-Tournament Team
- 2021 Maryland Challenge MVP
Why Wake?:
"I chose Wake Volleyball because it instantly stood out to me as an institution that strongly aligns with my educational interests and athletic goals," said Ricks. "I love the direction of growth that the program has made headway in and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. The opportunity to compete in a Power 5 conference with educational experience at a top-50 university is extremely valuable to me as a graduate scholar-athlete. The culture the coaches have created further drew me in with the strong family-like atmosphere, competitive nature, and the hunger for success. I am beyond excited to be a Demon Deacon and an addition to the Wake Forest Volleyball program!"
Off of the court, Ricks plans to pursue a master's degree in Health and Exercise Science.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
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