Volleyball Announces Addition of Middle Blocker Kaya Hood
12/21/2022
KAYA HOOD
Middle Blocker | 6'5" | Roswell, Ga. | Samford University
Michigan State head volleyball coach Leah Johnson announced Wednesday that middle blocker Kaya Hood will join the Spartans. Hood arrives in East Lansing after two seasons at Samford and will enroll at the start of the spring semester.
Hood, a 6-5 middle blocker, is a native of Roswell, Georgia. Prior to her two seasons at Samford, Hood spent two years at Blessed Trinity Catholic high school in Georgia and two years at Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep in Illinois.
Kaya will immediately add physicality and size to our gym,” Johnson said. “She has an elite club background from her prep career at A5. Kaya has a great understanding of the position and an ability to run a variety of routes. We can’t wait to add depth in our middle department and her drive to our gym.Head Coach Leah Johnson
In 2020, Hood was named All-Region 3 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and was placed on the All-America watch list. Her performance at Blessed Trinity Catholic earned her 5A All-State and All-Region 7 honors in Georgia where she was selected to play in the Georgia Coaches Association All-Star game. Hood helped her team to the 2019 4A state championship in Georgia along with a 5A runner-up finish in 2020.
Hood is the first transfer to join Michigan State’s group of newcomers for the 2023 season and will join rising sophomores Nil Okur and Lauren Schutter, and incoming freshman Zuzanna Kulig at middle blocker.
I chose Michigan State because I wanted the opportunity to play volleyball at the highest level under an amazing coaching staff,” Hood said. “From the very first conversation I had with them I knew that I had found something special. I know it is an environment where I will be able to grow as a player and more importantly as a person.Kaya Hood
