SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball team has added Maya Winterhoff, an Appalachian State Women's Volleyball legend and professional player for Major League Volleyball, to their staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026 season. 

FROM HEAD COACH MICHAEL HENCHY
"I am very excited to have Maya on staff with us this season. Maya brings a ton of recent experience as a standout athlete at App State," Henchy said. "She was a force to reckon with and I'm eager for her to bring her knowledge to our team."

Winterhoff played as a middle blocker for the Columbus Fury during the 2026 season, having been selected as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 Major League Volleyball Draft. Her selection was significant, as she was App State's first MLV draftee and the only draftee from the Sun Belt that year. Winterhoff aims to continue professional play in the spring season. 

Winterhoff's collegiate career at Appalachian State University was nothing short of remarkable. During her senior year in 2025, Winterhoff led the Sun Belt Conference for the third consecutive season in hitting percentage, with a mark of .398. She earned AVCA East Coast First-Team All-Region honors and was a First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honoree. Among her many accomplishments, Winterhoff played a pivotal role in leading the Mountaineers to their first victory over Virginia and an ACC team since 2015.

Over four seasons, she played in 112 matches, starting them all, and appeared in 448 sets. Her performance statistics are noteworthy, with a career total of 1,123 kills (2.51 kills per set) and a hitting percentage of .383. Additionally, she recorded 470 total blocks, 258 digs, and 113 aces. Her career includes two double-doubles and numerous individual accolades.

Her impact was felt from the beginning of her collegiate career, as she collected the program's first Sun Belt Freshman of the Year award and consistently ranked among the top players in the conference.

Originally from Charlottesville, Va., Winterhoff's high school career was equally impressive, earning accolades such as District and Central Virginia Player of the Year twice, and she set records for kills both at the school and regional level.

"Maya has incredible energy and is a great connector, she will have an immediate positive impact on the program!" Henchy said.