Shields to continue career at CSU Bakersfield
COSTA MESA -- Standout Orange Coast College women's beach volleyball player, Alanna Shields, will continue her athletic and academic careers at CSU Bakersfield for the 2022-23 school year, according to OCC head coach, Chuck Cutenese.
"I chose CSUB because I really loved the coaches, the girls on the team, and how competitive they are," Shields said. "They're Division 1 and in the Big West Conference which is also what I liked about the school. The school has my major and from what I could tell, it seems like all the athletes are really close which shows how great of a school it is. They offered me an athletic scholarship and all of those huge pros made me know it was a great fit for me."
Shields has been a key figure in OCC's climb atop the Orange Empire Conference in beach volleyball for the past two seasons. In 2021, Shields and her playing partner, Sara Enright completed a 7-1 shortened season (COVID) and advanced all the way to the OEC Pairs Championship match, where they fell to Pirate teammates Thea Snider and Summer Hanks.
"My time at OCC has been great," Shields said. "I love my teammates and my coaches. Last year was really hard on me mentally, and my teammates here and OCC really helped me to push through and get to where I am this year and I couldn't be more thankful for that. I've learned here at my time at Coast is that being a great leader or coach doesn't mean you have to be cold-hearted or mean or demeaning, and that you can be a great leader by showing kindness, strength, and wisdom to others."
In her second season with Coast, Shields and Pirate teammate Sophia Sola have gone 8-1 as a team has helped the Pirates jump out to a 9-0 record and a first-place spot in the OEC standings with five matches to go.
"I am really proud of myself for pushing through these past two years and not giving up on myself despite all obstacles," Shields said. "I will miss my teammates and friends at OCC, and my partner, Sophia. I'm so lucky to have competed in college with one of my closest friends that I grew up playing with on the same club team, to now being adults and best friends. I'll miss some of the amazing professors I've had. I'll miss my coaches, and I will also totally miss practicing on the beach every day!"
