University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Fisher Signs Five to Highest Ranked Class in Program History
11/12/2025 4:45:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH –Head Coach Dan Fisher and the Pitt volleyball team are excited to announce the 2030 signing class of Ayanna Watson, Isabelle Hoppe, Jessica Smallwood, Lola Sageer and Trinity Thompson. The five make up the highest ranked class in program history and will provide depth and talent at the hitter, setter and libero positions.
"We see the Class of 2026 making an impact on our program from the moment they arrive, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome this group of talented players and even better people to our family," says Head Coach Dan Fisher. "This group has not only shown their skill but their competitiveness at every level of junior volleyball."
Ayanna Watson | Las Vegas, Nevada | Bishop Gorman | 6'3 | Outside Hitter | Vegas Aces
Watson is the No. 5 ranked recruit in the class according to Prep Volleyball and the No. 6 player by Prep Dig. She was named a 2024 AVCA First Team All-American and Prep Volleyball Player of the Year. The three-time Desert Region Player of the Year also earned all-state in 2023 and 2024 en route to Bishop Gorman's three state championships. She earned the coveted Nevada Gatorade State Player of the Year award in 2024 and 2025 and was named a 2023 and 2024 Max Preps All-American and 2023 Volleyball Magazine High School All-American Honorable Mention. Watson is Nevada's all-time kills leader after her impressive high school career. She has also been a steady presence in the USA volleyball scene and was a member of the 2025 U19 Team that competed in Indonesia at the U21 World Championships.
Ayanna is the daughter of C.J. and Danielle Watson and has two younger sisters. Her father C.J. was a standout at the University of Tennessee and went on to play 10 years in the NBA, and her uncle Kashif was a basketball player at the University of Idaho and continued to play professionally for five years.
Coach Fisher on Ayanna - "Ayanna has won at every level of competition, highlighted by her time with USA Volleyball and three state championship titles. Our fans will love watching Ayanna, and she is someone that will compete right away. We are confident she will make a huge impact on this program."
Isabelle Hoppe | Gibsonia, Pennsylvania | Pine-Richland | 5'8 | Setter | AVC
Hoppe is the second ranked setter in the nation according to Prep Dig, coming in nationally at No. 22 and No. 7 overall according to Prep Volleyball. A local product of Pine-Richland High School, Hoppe has dominated the high school game. She was named all-state and all-conference four times and was dubbed the 2024 Region Player of the Year. She is a Volleymag.com First Team All-American and Under Armour All-American. Hoppe also has been a staple in the USA Volleyball pipeline and was a member of the 2024 USA U19 Continental Championship Team and 2025 USA U19 World Championship Team.
Isabelle is the daughter of Chris and Meris Hoppe and has a brother, Austin, and sister, Ellie.
Coach Fisher on Isabelle – "Isabelle is a proven setter at the high school, club and USA Volleyball levels. It is special that she has grown up around our program, and we are thankful that a player of her caliber chose to stay home here in Pittsburgh."
Jessica Smallwood | Elizabethtown, Kentucky | Elizabethtown | 6'6 | Opposite | KIVA
Smallwood comes in at No. 1 in the state of Kentucky and No. 55 nationally in the Prep Dig rankings. She is a four-time All-District and All-Region player and has been named All-State three times. Smallwood owns the school record for most career kills and blocks at Elizabethtown High School and finished top ten in blocks and kills in the state of Kentucky in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. She was named 2025 Ms. Kentucky Volleyball, the 2023 and 2025 Region 5 Volleyball Player of the Year and 2024 Region Five Female Fall Athlete of the Year.
Jessica hails from Elizabethtown, Kentucky and is the daughter of Julie and Steve Smallwood and is the youngest of four siblings.
Coach Fisher on Jessica – "Jessica is another player our fans are going to be very excited to watch. She brings size, athleticism and power to the Pitt volleyball program. Jessica connects well with the coaching staff and the girls and will be a bright light in our program for the next four years."
Lola Sageer | Liverpool, New York | Liverpool | 6'2 | Outside Hitter | VolleyFX
Sageer is a three-time All Central NY and First Team Large School AAA NY State Section lll performer and was named the 2024-25 Large School AAA NY State Section lll Player of the Year and Central NY Player of the Year. A product of VolleyFX, Sageer also excelled in club volleyball, earning a spot on the 2022 JVA National Team. In 2025, Sageer was recognized by the AVCA as a Girls High School National Player of the Year nominee.
Lola is the daughter of Jami and Edward Sageer, and her sister, Sophie, plays Division I beach volleyball at the College of Charleston.
Coach Fisher on Lola – "Lola is someone we identified really early with huge potential. She hits extremely hard, keeps improving each year as a six-rotation player and is very strong competitor on the court."
Trinity Thompson | Las Vegas, Nevada | Bishop Gorman | 5'9 | Setter/DS | Vegas Aces
Thompson is the No. 51 ranked recruit in the nation according to Prep Dig. She has had an excellent high school career, being named a three-time First Team all-state and all-conference performer along with a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American Team member. Thompson has set Bishop Gorman to three state championships and recently broke Nevada's all-time state assist record. The senior also excels in the classroom and is a four-time Nevada All-ACC Academic Team member.
Trinity is the daughter of Scott and Keala Thompson and has two older sisters, Tea and Tatum.
Coach Fisher on Trinity – "Trinity is a very skilled player and a strong competitor. The three-time state champion is an elite setter and libero and is incredibly athletic. She will raise the level of the libero group and look to compete right away."
