Laila Ricks

Position:
Right-Side Hitter
Height:
6-0
Class:
Graduate Student
High School:
Redondo Union High School
Hometown:
Torrance, California

Career Accolades

2022 Stony Brooke Invitational All-Tournament Team
2021 Charm City Challenge All-Tournament Team
2021 Maryland Challenge MVP

2024 (Graduate Transfer)
Acted as an athletic right-side option for the Deacs during her lone year... Competed in 113 sets through all of the team's 31 matches, while also starting in 15 of them... Finished third on the roster in both kills (183) and blocks (103.0)... Enjoyed a standout showing during the team's non-conference finale at home versus Davidson (Sept. 22), recording a career-high 18 kills on a .395 attacking clip and chipping in five blocks... Reach double figures in kills on five separate occasions... Shined defensively at South Carolina (Sept. 15) to reach a season high in digs (10) while also contributing seven blocks... Tallied five or more blocks 11 times throughout the fall... Went 13-for-27 in attacks with three errors (.370) in just the second match of the year, a five-set victory over West Virginia (Aug. 31)... Showed out versus Florida International to open the 2024 Gamecock Invitational, posting 16 kills and a season-best eight blocks... Did a bit of everything in a home win over Syracuse (Nov. 3), piecing together a line of five kills, five digs and six blocks... Had nine kills (.368) and two blocks in her final collegiate match against No. 21 Florida State

At Maryland (2020-23)
Totaled over 470 kills through her tenure with the Terrapins...Notched a personal-best average of 1.84 kills per set in the 2023 campaign...Set a new career high in kills (13) in an early-season home win over Coastal Carolina on Sept. 8, 2023...Helped Maryland act as one of the strongest blocking teams in the Big Ten, collecting over 350 total rejections during her tenure.. Dished out 30 service aces as a junior, good for third best on the roster...Three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2021-23)

High School
2020 Prep Volleyball Senior Ace (#70)...First Team All-Virginia...First Team All-League...First Team All-Conference...2019 CIF Southern Section champions at Redondo Union...2017 ISL AA Tournament champions with an undefeated season at Flint Hill School.

Personal
Daughter of Tashia Mallette and Rahsaan Ricks...Has two younger siblings: Amaya (18) and Elijah (13)...Pursuing a master's degree in Project Management for spring 2025