Cal Poly Humboldt Women's Volleyball

Spoja is entering her fourth season as head coach for Cal Poly Humboldt. Spoja came to Humboldt from Eastern Washington University in July 2022 where she was the Interim Head Coach during the Spring 2022 season. Spoja has over 25 years of coaching experience in the community college, NAIA and NCAA Division I levels. In her first year as head coach, Spoja had one player named as a CCAA Honorable Mention and 10 CCAA All-Academic members. For the 2022-23 academic year, the women's volleyball team averaged a 3.21 GPA. Specifically in the Spring term, women's volleyball recorded a 3.52 GPA, which is the highest term GPA for the team since 2010.    Spoja was the Interim Head Coach at Eastern Washington from December 2021 to April 2022. Prior to being the Interim Head Coach for the Eagles, Spoja was the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator from 2020 to 2021. During both seasons, the Eagles received a bid to the Big Sky Championships after a six-year hiatus. The Eagles maintained a 3.5 or higher grade point average during her stint on the staff at Eastern Washington.   Prior to her time at Eastern Washington, Spoja was the head volleyball coach at Evergreen State College from 2013 to 2019. She is the all-time winningest coach for Evergreen State as the Geoducks recorded 68 wins after going 0-55 the previous two seasons. During her time on the sidelines for Evergreen State, Spoja coached the first NAIA All-American and the first Freshman of the Year for the Geoducks.  Spoja coached the first Athlete of the Year at Evergreen State, and 95% of the athletes she recruited remained at the school for four years. She also was the advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.    From 2005 to 2012, Spoja was the head volleyball coach for Tacoma Community College. Spoja was the three-time recipient of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2010. She also was the Western Region recipient of this honor and guided the Titans to a 155-60 record including two undefeated records in league play in 2007 and 2010.   The Titans were five-time Western Region Champions (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010). They finished fifth in 2010 and sixth in 2006 in the NWAC Championships. She placed over forty players with four-year schools including three that went on to NCAA Division I schools.   During her time at Tacoma and Eastern Washington, she also coached the South Sound Volleyball Club (formerly the Edge VBC) from 2006 to 2020. Spoja was the Director of the South Sound Volleyball Club. She placed over fifty athletes into four-year colleges with scholarships.   The Titans’ volleyball program collectively held the highest grade-point average of all sports programs from 2006 to 2012. Over 90 percent of the players graduated with a two-year degree and continued on to a four-year college.    Spoja earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Washington in 1997. She earned a volleyball scholarship to Eastern Washington from 1995 to 1997. The Lakewood, Washington, native was a member of the American Volleyball Professionals (AVP) and an AVP Next Member from 1997 to 2009.    In 2021, she received her Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine. Spoja has been married for 26 years to Jaron Spoja, and they have raised three children; daughter Sydney, son Jaron Jr, and daughter Sophia.  

Hills enters her third season at Cal Poly Humboldt as the top assistant coach under Angela Spoja. She comes to Cal Poly Humboldt from Eastern Washington, where she was the assistant coach for one season with the Eagles.   Prior to being an assistant volleyball coach at her alma mater, Hills was the head coach of the U15, U16, U17 and U19 programs for the East Kootenay Volleyball Club in Cranbrook, British Columbia, from 2015-20.  Her U18 squad captured the Division 2 national championship in Canada in 2017.    Hills started her coaching career as an assistant coach at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia from 2011-13 helping the program to its first-ever playoff berth in 2012.    Besides her two stops at East Kootenay Volleyball Club and Thompson Rivers University, Hills spent the past ten seasons coaching in Canada.  From 2012-14, she was the head coach of the Volleyball Canadas Center of Excellence in Kamloops, B.C.  During her time there, she trained and developed athletes of all ages and levels using specific program guidelines, lesson plans and resources provided by Volleyball Canada.   Hills was a four-year letter-winner for the Eagles volleyball team during her intercollegiate career from 2006-2009.  She was the 2008 Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player and a three-time All-Big Sky Conference First Team selection.    The 2008 Big Sky Championships All-Tournament Team honoree helped the Eagles to their first regular season title that season.  During the 2008 campaign, Eastern Washington finished 18-11 overall and 12-4 in the Big Sky Conference.    She is second on the Eagles career list with 1,428 kills and is 17th in Big Sky Conference history.  Her career average per set of 3.85 kills remains second in school history and 15th in the Big Sky.  Twice during her career, she had 30 kills in a single match, ranking her third and she set a record for four-set match.  Hills recorded at least 20 kills on 23 occasions, ranking her second at Eastern Washington including seven-straight matches in 2007.   In her senior season, Hills had a team leading 375 kills (3.50 kills/set to rank fourth in the conference) and was second on the team with her 292 digs (2.73 digs/set).  During her career, Hills was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week six times including her senior season with impressive performances in victories over Montana and Montana State.    During her final three seasons at Eastern Washington, Hills played a key role in the Eagles going 26-6 in home matches.    Hills graduated from Eastern Washington with her bachelors degree in communication studies in 2010.

Macey Hayden enters her second season on the Cal Poly Humboldt volleyball coaching staff under head coach Angela Spoja. A Sacramento State alumna, Hayden brings energy, knowledge, and a strong passion for the sport to the Lumberjacks’ program. During her collegiate career at Sacramento State, Hayden was a standout player who showcased impressive skills on the court and strong leadership off it, helping guide the Hornets to multiple successes. She earned her degree in Criminal Justice in May 2022. Now in her role with Humboldt, Hayden continues to mentor and develop student-athletes, focusing on refining their technical abilities, deepening their strategic understanding, and building strong team culture. Dedicated to fostering a positive and competitive environment, she is committed to helping the Lumberjacks thrive both on and off the court.

Tusalava Kuaea is entering her first season as the First Assistant Volleyball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at California Polytechnic University at Humboldt. With a wealth of experience in player development, leadership, and game strategy, Tusalava has been instrumental in developing competitive collegiate teams and fostering a culture of excellence both on and off the court. With over ten years of coaching experience, including seven years at the collegiate level, Tusalava has transformed the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Clippers into a consistent contender in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC). Before joining the Lumberjack family, Tusalava served as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach and Outreach and Admissions Specialist at SPSCC in Olympia, WA. She played a key role in building the program and made school history during the 2023 season by leading the Clippers to their first postseason appearance. The following year, the Clippers advanced to the Northwest Athletic Conference Sweet 16 Regional Tournament and recorded their most successful season in 2024. Focusing on skill development, player growth, and team culture, Tusalava has helped place over a dozen student-athletes at the next level, including three who will attend California Polytechnic University at Humboldt in the 2024 and 2025 season. Under her leadership, multiple student-athletes have earned SPSCC’s Outstanding Student of the Year Award, appearances on the SPSCC President’s and Vice President’s lists, First and Second Team Regional Honors, and numerous Academic Excellence Team Awards. A former collegiate student-athlete at Tacoma Community College (TCC), Tusalava competed under the guidance of current Head Coach Angela Spoja. She earned multiple NWAC Player of the Week honors, NWAC All-Region honors,  and was named the 2011-2012 Female Athlete of the Year. Tusalava also contributed to the Titans' second undefeated record in 2010, earning the title of NWAC Western Region Champions and placing 5th at the NWAC Championships. She then transferred to the University of Arkansas at Monticello on a full athletic scholarship, where she competed as an outside hitter/libero and helped the Cotton Blossoms achieve back-to-back Great American Conference Regional Tournament appearances while earning Academic Excellence honors. After graduating in 2015, Tusalava transitioned into coaching. She served one year as a Student-Assistant Coach for the Cotton Blossoms before returning to her hometown of Lakewood, WA, where she taught Algebra and served as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach and Track and Field Coach at Lakes High School. Tusalava earned her Master of Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine, in 2021. In addition to her work on the court, Tusalava is dedicated to the holistic development of student-athletes, emphasizing academic success, leadership, and community engagement. She and her former team actively participate in various activities throughout Thurston County, working with the local school district on volunteer reading programs, the West Thurston Regional Fire Authority, the Thurston County Food Pantry, the Thurston County Special Olympics, and hosting the Annual Clipper Youth and Elite Volleyball Camps for the past six years—reinforcing SPSCC’s commitment to developing well-rounded individuals. With a passion for the game, Tusalava is determined to continue elevating the California Polytechnic University at Humboldt volleyball program and striving for excellence at the Division II level of NCAA competition.