University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
2026 Beach Volleyball Roster
Roster
Alina Ryan
- Height:
- 5-9
- Class:
- Freshman
- High School:
- Cardinal Gibbons HS
- Hometown:
- Raleigh, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB
Was a four-year letterwinner at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, N.C., on the indoor volleyball teamย โฆย was a setter her freshman year, moved to outside hitter for her sophomore and junior seasons, and was the startingย liberoย her senior campaign โฆ also earned one varsity letter in swimming at CGHSย โฆ her team finished 22-0 in 2024 and won the North Carolina 4A State Championship over Marvin Ridge HS, 3-1 (25-11, 21-25, 26-24, 26-24) โฆ she recorded 43 digs in the championship match for the Crusaders, who improved toย 12-1 in NCHSAA championship matches (first title since 2020) โฆshe earned the North Carolina Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award at stateย โฆ totaled 934 digs, 504ย kills, 487 assists and 143ย aces in her high school career โฆ was a two-time NCVBA 4A All-State pick and a three-time All-Conference selectionย โฆ also named Conference Player of the Yearย โฆ named Prep Volleyball Top 150 Freshmenย โฆ played club for Sinjin Beach Volleyball Clubย โฆ placed second in 2025 AVP U18 National Championshipsย โฆ also placed first in 2024 and 2025 at the p1440 U18 Winter Championshipsย โฆ was a p1440 Fab 50 Ambassadorย โฆ placed first at the 2023 U16 AAU Junior Olympics and first at the 2021 and 2022 U16 p1440 National Championshipย โฆ won multiple Futures Tour Championships โฆย invited to the Fab 50 p1440 Training Programย โฆ also won the p1440 Highest GPA Award and named a 2025 AVCA Junior Beach First-Team All-Americanย โฆ was aย member of the USA Beach Volleyball National Team Development Program (NTDP)ย and the USAV Indoor High Performance Training Teams.
Notable Tournament Finishes:ย 2nd at 2025 AVP U18 Hermosa National Championships, 1st at 2025 p1440 U18 Winter Championships, 2nd at 2024 USA U18 Beachfest, 1st at 2025 p1440 U18 Futures Tour โ Florida, 1st at 2024 p1440 U18 Winter Championships.
Full name: Alina Isabel Ryan โฆ born in Naperville, Ill. โฆ parents are B. Kelly Ryan and Kathleen Ryan โฆ has an older brother, Declan, and and three older sisters, Caleigh, Teagan, and Celia โฆ family has a huge athletic background as her father played football at Yale while her mom was on swimming team there โฆ sister, Caleigh played volleyball at Northwestern, sister, Teagan went to National Championships in curling at Bowdoinย College, sister Celia played three seasons of beach volleyball at Coastal Carolina (2023-25), and brother, Declan, played lacrosse at Boston College โฆ has had many cousins run cross country or swim in college and her uncle, Mike, also played football at Yale, while her aunt, Molly, played basketball at Notre Dame, and another aunt, Sheila, swam for Fairfieldย โฆ says she chose UCLA because, โIt provides an exceptional educational opportunity alongside top tier athletic programs. Also, the coaching staff is amazing!โ โฆ lists her greatest athletic thrill as, "Winning the North Carolina 4A Indoor Volleyball state championships my senior year. It was so satisfying to see four years of hard work pay off." โฆ lists Brock Purdy, Michael Jordan, and Kristen Nuss as the athletes she admires mostย โฆ enjoys going to the beach, swimming, traveling, baking, playing board games, and spending time with friends and family in her free time โฆ has yet to declare a major.
