LOS ANGELES, Calif.ย --ย UCLA head women's beach volleyball coach Stein Metzgerย announced the signing of Lexy Denaburgย (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS), Devon Newberryย (Santa Monica, Calif./Marymount HS)ย and Rileighย Powersย (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo HS) to National Letters of Intent. The trio will enter UCLA in the fall of 2019ย as freshmen and will become members of the 2020 women's beach volleyball team.
"Rileigh, Lexy and Devon represent the best the nation has to offer, in terms of talent and experience, and we're excited to welcome them into the Bruin family," Metzger said. "All three were highly sought-after recruits who chose UCLA because of our unique blend of academic excellence, location, weather and ability to compete for National Championships."
Denaburg, a 6-footย product at Merritt Island High School, is a three-sport star in soccer, indoor volleyball and
Lexyย Denaburg
beach volleyball, lettering two years in beach volleyball as a blocker, three in soccer as a right forward and defensive midfielder and four asย an outside hitter on the indoor team. She was an All-Conference performer all four years and was chosen as a first team All-State selection for four years in volleyball. Named the team's MVP in 2016 and 2017 and as an Under Armour All-American in 2018 after setting MIHS'sย all-time record in kills with 1,275. She was also named the Space Coast Daily Volleyball Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017 as her team finished as the state runner-up in 2017. Her indoor club volleyball team qualified for Junior Nationals in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and she was named to the All-Tournament Team in 2016. Her beach club team (Cape Coast Volleyball Club) was the AAU National Champion in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and she was a member of the USA National Championship team in 2018 (with her partner Powers). In 2017, she was also a runner-up at BVCA'sย and was a Gulf Shores Champion. In soccer, she was selected for the Olympic Development Program in 2014 and was a five-time 3v3 National Champion. Also selected for High Performance A1 training camp in beach volleyball and High Performance training camp in indoor volleyball.
"Lexy has a rare combination of dynamic athleticism and high-level hand-eye coordination," Metzger said. "She is equally comfortable attacking and hand setting and is a blocking force at the net.ย I expect her physicality and work ethic to translate to significant contributions for us."
Newberry, a 5-foot-10 product at Marymount High School, is a four-year letterwinnerย on the indoor team. She left
Devon Newberry
MHS with a career total of 1,239 kills and a career hitting percentage of .399. Improved every year, hitting .344 as a freshman and .406 as a sophomore. Finished with a .409 during her junior campaign and a hitting percentage of .429 as a senior. She also registered 1,076 and 146 aces in her prep career.ย She was selected along with UCLA freshman Lindsey Sparks this summer to represent the United States at the 2018 FIVB U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships and the Youth Olympic Gamesย in Buenos Aires in October where the duo finished fourth. She also paired with Sparks to place second at the 2018 USAVย Beach High Performance Championship and to win the 2017 Beach HP U19 World Trials. Competed over the summer with Sparks in four 2018 AVP Tour events, recording a season-best finish of 17th at Hermosa Beach. Newberry started playing indoor volleyball in 2007 for Sunshine Volleyball Club and has also played for the LA Beach Club. She has been training with the USA A1 National team since she was 13 years old and was a member of the U19 Youth National Team and placed second in Cuba at the U19 NORCECAย Championships.
"Devon is a phenomenal attacker with an uncanny gift to put the ball away," Metzger said. "She's also a well-rounded athlete with a solid reach, which makes her viable as a blocker or defender at the collegiate level. She is a proven gamer and someone we expect to execute in big moments as a Bruin."
Powers, a 5-foot-10 product at Oviedo High School, is a four-year letterwinner as an outside hitter on the indoor team and a two-year letterwinner in beach volleyball. She also ran track and field for the Central Florida Gliders
Rileigh Powers
competing in AAU and USATF National Championships, collecting two gold and two bronze medals. Registered totals of 1,003 digs, 914 kills, 96 total blocks and 54 aces in her prep career in 113 matches. She was a two-time Seminole County second team All-Conference selection and to the first team once. A three-time Florida HP Beach Team member, Powers was an AAU All-American, a Seminole County Beach Volleyball Player of the Year and was named to the AVCA Phenom List. In 2014, she was named an All-American and was a gold medalist at the AAU Indoor National Championships. In 2015, she was a bronze medalist at the AAU Indoor National Championships and at the USAVย Beach National Championships and picked up a silver medal at the Rox National Beach Championships. In 2016, sheย won gold at the AAU Junior Olympic Beach National Championships and won silver at the FHSAAย 9A State Championships. In 2017, she was a gold medalist at the AAU National Beach Championships and earned bronze at the AAU Junior Olympic National Beach Championships. In 2018, she won gold at the AAU National Championships (with her partner Denaburg) and at the USAVย National Beach Championships.
"Rileigh is a big-game hunter," Metzger said. "She's used to shouldering a heavy load in "sideout" situations, with long-time partner Lexy, and just flat-out knows how to win. She is a physical defender who can swing in transition and grind it out with the heart of a true Bruin."
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