Ally Batenhorst’s Teammate Discloses Details About Life at USC Volleyball: “Let Me Cry”

Ally Batenhorst and Mia Tuaniga’s journey with USC volleyball has come to an end. However, the seniors haven’t stopped reflecting on their college volleyball careers, even after playing their final NCAA game. Batenhorst and Tuaniga, along with their Trojans teammate Tyrah Ariail, recently opened up about their time at USC, sharing new insights into their journey.

Batenhorst and Tuaniga have already shared emotional and heartfelt posts about their college volleyball careers. However, this clip was different. “We’re just going to reflect on our years in college,” revealed the outside hitter. And while both Batenhorst and Tuniga spoke about their coach, the Long Beach, California native had some more to say about her journey with the Trojans.

How USC Volleyball helped Mia Tuaniga stay connected to her roots

It was Ally Batenhorst who drove the conversation toward their favorite parts of studying in and playing for USC. “My favorite thing about my time here is how I was kind of able to represent everything that I kind of stand for,” revealed Tuaniga. “Whether it was my faith, especially my culture, where I come from… “I went through a lot with this program.” added the 23-year-old.

The senior setter thanked coach Brad Keller for always supporting her through the ups and downs. “There’s been plenty of times where I’m trying to do practice. You know, life gets hard, and being a student-athlete gets hard… He let me cry,” Tuaniga said in the video. “I’m still serving, but it’s okay,” the setter added as a joke.

Thanks to Coach Keller’s supportive nature, Mia Tuaniga could “grow” as a volleyball player at USC. Those efforts paid off in spades, as the setter turned out to be a record-setter for USC volleyball. In her final games for the Trojans, Tuaniga crossed the 4,511+ assists mark. Now, Batenshorts friend is preparing to embark on the next chapter of her career as the player with the most assists in USC volleyball history.

A family connection with volleyball

While Mia Tuaniga will continue to cherish her memories of USC, she was also one of two Trojans who got drafted to Pro volleyball this year. Alongside her teammate Ally Batenhorst, Mia Tuaniga joined the PVF as part of the Atlanta Vibe. However, the monumental achievement didn’t just ensure Tuaniga would continue playing volleyball, she also kept a family tradition alive.

The USC volleyball standout’s parents Eperu and Tinei Tuaniga are also associated with the sport. Tuaniga’s parents owned and operated the Aiga Volleyball Club in Hemet, California. “Both my parents were born in American Samoa and moved to the States at a fairly young age,” Tuaniga explained in a 2022 interview. However, they aren’t the only ones who delved into volleyball.

In fact, the 23-year-old is continuing their family’s legacy of producing professional volleyball players. Her brother Gustiano Tuaniga played as an outside hitter in Hawaii. However, it was Joshua Tuaniga who was the first in the family to go pro. Joshua Tuaniga also played as a setter for Long Beach State (2016-19). He is a two-time NCAA champion and the 2018 National Player of the Year.

Joshua Tuaniga has also presented Team USA. So, Mia Tuaniga is thankful that USC volleyball has helped her become a player worthy of continuing her family’s illustrious volleyball legacy. However, only time will tell how far the USC record-setter will go in her professional career.