Bruins Add Pollock to Beach Volleyball Staff
February 19, 2019 | Beach Volleyball
SOCIAL MEDIA:ย BeachVB on Twitterย |ย BeachVB on Facebookย |ย BeachVB on Instagram
LOS ANGELES, Calif.ย --ย UCLA head women's beach volleyball coach Stein Metzgerย announced today the hiring of Irene Pollockย as the Bruins' volunteer assistant coach effective immediately.
Pollockย replaces Jeff Alzina, who recently departed to become the Associate Head Coach of the indoor and beach volleyball teams at Santa Clara.
While this is Pollock's first collegiate post in coaching, she hasย shown a strong passion forย coaching by holding her ownย private camps and clinics over the years. She began running her own camps with her sister, Kristen, while in college at TCU from 2007-11. While deciding to stay close to home to play in front ofย family and friends,ย she helpedย TCU earn itsย first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009, while leading the team in points, kills,ย and aces. Prior to her time with the Horned Frogs, Pollock attendedย Boswell High Schoolย (Texas) where she wasย a four-year All-District selection.
Upon graduation, she went on to play indoor volleyball professionally in Switzerland and helped coach a youth team there. Since moving to the beach game, she has continued to run camps and clinics in various cities and assisted the 692 West, a beach club in San Diego, Calif.
Pollock, who was named to the Wilson Advisory Staff a year ago, made her official beach debut in 2014, at FIVB Open event in Anapa, Russia finishing 9th with Caitlin Ledoux. During the 2018 season, she competed in 10 FIVB events with Amanda Dowdy, winningย Shepparton, Australia (one-star) and finishing third at FIVB Two-Star in Nanjing, China. She also won the New Zealand Open and played in four AVP events, also with Dowdy, placing third in Seattle.
In 2017, she twice finished fifth on the FIVB World Tour with two more ninth-place finishes. While on the domestic AVP Tour, her best finish wasย third. In 2016, sheย played in a total of five AVP events with four of them resulting in a top 10 finish. In 2015, she played in four AVP events all of which were top 10 finishes, while also winning two NORCECA events.
"I knew I wanted to get into coaching at some point because this game is so special to me and I want to share that with as many people as possible," Pollock said. It can provide you with countless opportunities, relationships and life lessons. My goal is to help the next generation experience all of those things. I cannot thank Stein and Jenny enough for this opportunity.ย Go Bruins!"
Pollock graduated from TCU with a degree in communications in 2010. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Pollock now resides in San Clemente, Calif., with her husband, JD Pollock, who is in his second season as the Director of Player Development with the San Diego State men's basketball team.
ย