By Adeniyi Latinwo, December 9, 2025
Cal Poly Pomona setter and opposite hitter Sarah Ybarra has been named to the 2025 All-CCAA Volleyball First Team and the 2025 CCAA Player of the Year.
Ybarra earned numerous accolades in her first two years. She made AVCA All-America Second Team, All-CCAA First Team, AVCA All-West Region First Team, CCAA Offensive Player of the Week, AVCA DII National Player of the Week for Sept. 5-8, All-West Regional Tournament Team, and the 2024-25 CCAA All-Academic Team.
Ybarra began the 2024 season by recording the first triple-double in the CCAA of the season. Ybarra tallied 17 kills, 17 digs, and 20 assists to propel CPP to a four-win set over Western Washington University. Ybarra also earned AVCA National Player of the Week, which was her second career CCAA weekly honor.
“My teammates love to make me feel good and accomplished, but I don’t play well to get all the recognition,” Ybarra said. “I do it because I’m doing my absolute best to contribute to our success and be solid for our team.”
Ybarra consistently upped her game, ultimately leading the CCAA and ranking second in the NCAA Division II with 5.06 kills and 5.62 points per set.
Ybarra also assisted the Broncos to a 19-6 overall record and a 17-1 record in conference play. En route to the 17-1 conference record, she helped CPP secure its second consecutive regular season title.
In her first three matches at the Western Washington Invitational, she averaged four kills, 3.75 digs, 3.33 assists, and 0.83 blocks per set. Ybarra’s name is all over the statistical leaderboards.
Of the eight CCAA Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week awards given out this season, Ybarra has earned five of them and is making herself a household name in the NCAA.
Ybarra believes her string of good games was not only a testament to her own ability but to the collective ability of her team.
“For me, I just feel like it shows my versatility as a player,” Ybarra said. “I can fill in a role wherever I need to and not skip a beat. For the team, I think it shows that we can put stats up in multiple different categories and be successful.”
Ybarra’s best performance came Oct. 11 against Cal State East Bay, where she recorded 45 kills in a five-set victory. With that performance, Ybarra broke the previous CPP record of 33 while tying the CCAA record and recording the fifth most in a game in NCAA Division II history.
Ybarra is the first NCAA Division II player to record that many kills since Brianna Harris in 2004 and is the first player to do so under the 25-point scoring format, which has been in place since 2008.
After the performance, Ybarra’s head coach Traci Dahl spoke highly of her player.
“Sarah put us on her back and carried us through the finish line,” Dahl said.
When reflecting on her performance, Ybarra said she hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary to put on multiple masterclasses. She was just excited for the season and was striving for success for her team.
Ybarra also believes her teammates and coaches have been an essential component to her success and works hard to be at her best for them.
Ybarra’s teammate Kaden Young said playing alongside Ybarra has set a standard for the rest of the team that pushes them to never settle.
“As our captain, she sets the standard every single day not just with her performance but with her mindset and work ethic,” Young said. “Sarah’s leadership and drive have completely shaped our team’s mindset. We’re not just playing to win, we’re playing to prove what we’re capable of.”
The Broncos earned the first seed in the CCAA Tournament but fell short to San Francisco State University, capping off the season for the Broncos.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
