Coach Esko: “I want the players to be better people when they leave the program.”
Women’s volleyball struggled last year, going 7-19 for the season. This year, head coach Teddi Esko hopes things will be different—and that starts with accountability.
This year marks Esko’s second season at the helm of Toros volleyball. She told The Bulletin that the team’s lackluster performance last year may have been due to what she described as “growing pains.”
“With the combination of the new coach and a culture, there are a lot of moving parts going on around the team, which leads people not to be on the same page and not be brought into the system,” Esko said. “When you put that together with additional pressure, the results of the collapse of our team last year would be the pressure.”
But the past is the past. This year, the team has a motto: “Always be driven to the future.”
Senior libero Ally Sokolow, the team captain, said she values the team’s new direction. She pointed to confidence, discipline and execution as central to her game, adding that coaches help players stay grounded.
“Being a part of this team is being respectful, holding the high standards on and off the floor, and keeping composure when things get tight, and allowing the mistakes to grow without mistakes,” Sokolow said.
The roster this year combines experience with new talent. Sokolow and eight other seniors return to provide leadership, while three standout freshmen—setter Giovannina De Sisto, outside hitter Shyla Williams, and opposite hitter Natalia Walden-Schulz—have added energy and depth.
Senior outside hitter Ava Hurry praised Esko for setting high standards for the team this season. She told The Bulletin it was a privilege to be on the squad.
“I understand the importance of accountability and rising to the occasion, taking pride in wearing the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toro jersey and helping to put the Toros back on the map,” Hurry said.
On the court, the team is shifting to a faster, up-tempo offense. Esko said the Toros’ slower, deliberate pace last year made it difficult to compete against high-level opponents. Executing at a quicker tempo, she explained, puts pressure on defenses and makes it harder for opponents to keep up.
It’s an “old school” approach, said Esko, a 25-year coaching veteran who earned six “Coach of the Year” honors during her tenure at Rio Hondo College. Since joining Toros Athletics in February 2024, Esko has emphasized grit, hard work and toughness on the court.
“Practice is a dress rehearsal for the game, which is our show,” Esko said. “I don’t want our team living in a fairytale; being realistic with our players is essential. I want the players to be better people when they leave the program…in every aspect of life.”
The team will close out September at home with games against San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay on Sept. 26 and 27, respectively.
At press time, the Toros were 3-5, but Esko has urged her players to stay focused and move forward. She said, “things might not go your way, but don’t let it break you.”