There's nothing sweeter than recruiting local student-athlete staying local. San Luis Obispo High School volleyball stand-out Marina Warren will play indoor and beach volleyball at Cal Poly.
A few years ago, Warren was offered a spot on the roster as a walk-on but after months of grinding and improvement, Warren was offered a full-ride scholarship for both sports.
"Staying here is so awesome, I knew I wanted to go to Poly when I was at Laguna Middle School. I watched the girls and I went wow, they are so incredible. That's when I knew I wanted to be on the court. Now, girls will come to my games and it's crazy, a generational cycle of getting inspired, that's how it started for me," Warren said.
The local star made varsity and never looked back and she has been inspiring her teammates in club ball and at SLO High high since.
"Marina means the world to the program, the success we've had in the last 4 years has been a big part in thanks to Marina. Not only her really extreme talent... But beyond that, is the person she is and the leadership she has on the court. She inspires everyone around her, her work ethic is through the roof... It's really special she's staying local and we get to watch her the next four years," SLO High head coach Kennedy Meaney said.
Not only will Warren be the first volleyball student-athlete from SLO High School to receive a full ride to Cal Poly, but she is also a first-generation college student alongside her brother who plays basketball at Westmont.
"My family has wanted this for me for so long. Going to college is a big deal because we are first-generation college students... It's so unreal, this is all I've ever wanted. I did go on other visits, I went to Georgia State, Oregon, and nothing was like Poly."
Congratulations to Marina, we look forward to seeing your success on and off of the court as a Mustang.
