By Bill Sheehan 

Finally, Cal State Fullerton's volleyball players have a court they can call home. 

The Titans spent their first 16 games on the road because a new floor was being installed in Titan Gym. The players are thrilled they will have homecourt advantage when Fullerton (6-10 overall, 1-3 in the Big West) faces visiting CSUN (9-6, 2-2) on Thursday at 6 p.m. 

"I'm very excited, especially with our new floor, and happy and grateful we are at home," said Ketesia Hall, a redshirt junior right-side hitter from Long Beach. "We'll not have to worry about things like when our buses are going to leave. We'll have our family and friends there to support us – that's a big deal. And we'll be the first [athletes] to play on the court." 

Hannah Hass, a freshman middle blocker from Corona, echoed Hall. "I've never been on a plane so many times in the span of a month," she said, recalling the team's pre-conference trips to Moscow, Idaho, Seattle and Beaumont, Texas. "There will be a lot of family and friends there. Between all the freshmen, we've asked everyone in our dorm, 'Will you be there for our home opener?' Even my great-grandma is coming to the game." 

Cheering sections in volleyball are something new for freshman outside hitter Lira Pukl Verdel, who hails from Maribor, Slovenia. "The teams and girls are much louder here. There's a lot more cheering, and that's a good thing. After seeing all the other student sections cheer on their teams, I'm eager to see what ours is going to be like." 

Fullerton officials are hoping to attract a crowd of 1,000 for the home opener. It's an orange-out game, with Titans fans encouraged to wear orange clothing. 

"Our goal is to beat the current volleyball attendance record of 887 fans," said Carolyn Gill, Fullerton's director of marketing & fan engagements. "There will be a pom poms and wristband giveaway for all fans. Everyone will have a chance to win an In-N-Out gift card. We'll also have free boba, or bubble tea, for the first 100 students, courtesy of Bear Cup in Fullerton." 

Freshmen make up half of the roster, and Titans first-year head coach Nicky Cannon hasn't hesitated to deploy a young lineup. For example, freshman Marisa Nakato from Kailua, Hawaii, was moved into a regular defensive specialist role after sophomore Kaia Herweg went down with a season-ending knee injury against Long Beach State. 

Fullerton, which was 0-18 in the Big West a year ago, won their conference opener with a straight-set victory at UC San Diego. A win over CSUN would snap a three-game losing streak. 

Junior setter Kahea Carvalho from Rolling Hills has a team-leading 447 assists. Freshmen libero Mia Feldhaus from Borken, Germany, is tops in digs with 180 digs. Hall, Pukl Verdel and Hass are 1-2-3 in kills. Here is a look at the Titans' dominant front-line players. 

KETESIA HALL  
The 6-foot Hall, is the team's lone fourth-year senior. She ranks first on the team in kills (146), is tied for first in blocks (40) and is third in digs (96). 

She began her Titans career as a middle blocker before shifting to right side hitter. "I like both positions equally but for different reasons," said Hall. "I had a lot more blocks as a middle. But there is a lot more leeway as a right side hitter, and I don't need to be up every single time." 

"This season, it's been a really different atmosphere. Each member of the coaching staff brings different views and perspectives. Thanks to them, my skills have improved, and my volleyball IQ is higher," said Hall, who is called "Keke" by her teammates and coaches. 

"As a senior, I want to be a leader on and off the court with my words and actions. A lot of freshmen come to me for advice. I'm speaking up more and making my voice heard." 

Hall is the team's go-to hitter, her coach said. "Keke has been great. We're also letting her play the back row too because of her strong defense and passing," said Cannon, who previously guided UC Riverside's volleyball team for three years and once served as a Fullerton assistant coach. 

Playing for head coach Adam Wadley at Lakewood High, Hall was named All-Moore League First Team as a junior and a senior. As a senior, she played alongside her younger sisters Fatimah and Lalelei. The former is now a junior setter at San Jose State, and the latter is a freshman outside hitter at Fresno State. 
 

Hall was born in Hampton, Va., at a time when her parents served in the U.S. military. Kevin Hall works in the financial office at Long Beach State. Etevise Sefuiva-Hall is employed by UPS. 

The 21-year-old Hall will graduate with a geography degree this spring and wants to pursue a master's in civil engineering. She enjoys going to the beach, knitting, crocheting and keeping a journal. "I love to eat, go shopping and hang out with my family," she said. 

After being around for some lean volleyball years at Fullerton, Hall insists the Titans have a legitimate chance to qualify for the Big West playoffs. "Our mindset is a big part of our game. By saying we will finish in the top six, we're trying to push ahead and prove it. Off the court, by getting enough sleep and eating right, we are trying to prep because we believe so much that we will be there." 

HANNAH HASS 
Hess traveled a circuitous path to Fullerton. Originally a Cal State Sonoma commit, she was forced to find a new home after the northern California school eliminated all its intercollegiate athletics because of a budget deficit. 

"A coaching friend of mine called schools on my behalf, saying that a middle blocker needed a home," said Hass. "I had known Coach Cannon during her time at UC Riverside. We already had a good relationship, and I was intrigued that she was building something new. I was one of the first volleyball recruits to commit to Fullerton." 

"So far, this has been the greatest experience I could ask for. I've been given so many opportunities, and success is starting to seep through. We swept UCSD on opening night of conference. And I had an opportunity to earn all-tournament in Idaho." 

Hass is first in aces (14), tied for first in blocks (40), and is third in both kills (109) and digs (96). 

"Hannah is a workhorse. She calls sets the loudest and has thrived in the worksite. She has taken her role as middle and embraced it tenfold," said Cannon. 

Hass, 18, credits Cannon with getting players to "genuinely believe in everything we do." 

"We may not be the tallest or the oldest players. But if we believe in ourselves, we can outwork the other team. None of the other stuff matters," she said.  

Hass grew up playing softball and volleyball. During the height of the pandemic, her softball club shut down, but her volleyball club donned masked and began playing outdoors. "I was in middle school, and that was a defining moment. Being able to continue playing volleyball at that juncture was so important," said Hass, who played for the Empower Volleyball Eastvale Club.  

The 6-foot-1 Hass helped Corona High School win the 2024 CIF Division 5 Volleyball Championship. She was named to the All-CIF Team and All-CIF MVP as a senior and twice earned All-Big VIII League honors. 
 

Her father Jacob is a pharmacist, and her mother Gennifer is a hair stylist. Gennifer also played high school volleyball. Hass' younger sister, Claire, competes for the Corona High volleyball team. 

Hass plans to major in business, with a focus in legal advising. She hopes to work in the field of environmental law or environmental science. 

She enjoys travel, hiking and watching movies. 

LIRA PUKL VERDEL 
For Pukl Verdel, it's a new team, a new country and a new main language. "My teammates and coaches have really been supportive helping me adjust," she said. "There is always something happening – there is school, there is volleyball, team bonding, travel days. I don't really have time to miss my family." 

"There are differences in how volleyball is played here. At home, an outside hitter can play all around. And liberos can serve. More specialists are used here on the back line here. I still serve, but I'll go out for two or three rotations."

Pukl Verdel, who is 6-foot-1, is second in kills (117), second in service aces (13) and fourth in digs (68) and blocks (24). 

"Lira has played internationally with and against older players and has a different level of court maturity," said Cannon. "She is honest and direct and speaks out about how we can be better and more accountable." 

The 19-year-old lives in Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, which is in the northeast part of the country near the Austrian border. 

"I always wanted to come to the States to play volleyball. It's easier to pursue academics and athletics at the same time, unlike in Europe where sports teams are not affiliated with colleges. I liked coach Cannon's vision for the program and wanted to be part of something new." 
 

Pukl Verdel was a member of three Slovenian volleyball high school championship teams. She also played club volleyball and was part of a winning effort at the Senior Slovenian Championship this year. 

She grew up in a family of athletes. Her father, Saša Pukl, played hoops and is a high-profile basketball referee. He is an acquaintance of Lakers star Luka Doncic and his father, Saša Doncic. Her mother, Iza Verdel, who works in tourism, is a skier and cyclist. Her younger sisters Alina, Domen and Zara play volleyball, and her younger brother Martin plays basketball.

Pukl Verdel is a business major. She envisions a career in sports management or sports communications. She likes to spend time skiing, snowboarding and hiking in her homeland. 

"Slovenia is getting more touristy every year. People are finding out how beautiful our country is. We have 45 kilometers of seaside as well as lakes, mountains and wineries. Our capital, Ljubljana, is quite picturesque. And Lake Bled, in the mountains, has a church on an island in the middle of the lake." 

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WATCH THE TITANS ON ESPN+
Titans fans can now watch every home event exclusively on ESPN+. Cal State Fullerton has built a top-tier production studio to give the viewers an ESPN quality production for all games at Titan Stadium. Additionally, all schools in the Big West Conference are committed to producing ESPN quality streams which will allow fans to watch the Titans on ESPN+ for all road conference games.