Abby Van Winkle’s time in Westwood may be coming to an end, but that isn’t stopping the graduate student from bringing in all the accolades, from honor rolls to an All-American.
Surprisingly, the 6-foot-2-inch powerhouse almost didn’t come to UCLA in the first place.
After getting her start in indoor volleyball as a 10-year-old, Van Winkle picked up beach volleyball as well and fell in love with it, pairing up in high school with her future teammate in former Bruin Lindsey Sparks.
“We actually were both going to commit to Pepperdine because we originally wanted to play both, but once we played our last indoor season together, we both kind of decided, ‘Do we want to be doing this?’” Van Winkle said. “So when Stein (coach Stein Metzger) offered me the scholarship, I had to take it.”
From there, Van Winkle proceeded to make her mark early on. She was one of the only freshmen playing in the 2019 NCAA championship and sealed the deal for the Bruins’ second national title in program history with her block.
In her five years with the Bruins, she has racked up 126 wins, with her 124th last weekend against USC making her the program leader in career victories.
Van Winkle’s frequent partner this season, junior Peri Brennan, emphasized the impact Van Winkle has had on the team.
“If you had told me I was playing with Abby in the beginning of the season, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” Brennan said. “I’ve just always thought that she’s on her own level.”
According to Metzger, a key piece of her leadership – her professionalism – was shaped by being around veteran players such as the McNamara twins, Zana Muno and Savvy Simo across the years.
“Now she’s filling their shoes in a leadership role on this team and really setting the tone by example,” Metzger said. “She’s a very consistent player, and that shows the maturity that she’s gained over the last four years.”
Van Winkle’s talent on the court has translated over to her academics as well. In her five years at UCLA, Van Winkle’s name frequently appeared on the UCLA Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in addition to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.
This effort culminated in Van Winkle being awarded the Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
“I hold myself to really high standards,” Van Winkle said. “I definitely am a little bit of a stresser, Type A, but that’s really helped me balance the work that I have in school and also being a volleyball player.”
This week, the Bruins will compete for a national championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama, marking Van Winkle’s last tournament as a collegiate athlete.
For her, it’s just another chance to add another trophy to her family’s legacy.
Van Winkle’s mother won two national championships as a women’s indoor volleyball player in her time at UCLA, while her great-uncle won two titles of his own as a member of the UCLA men’s water polo team.
“I’m really hoping that this year I can contribute and bring one more title home,” Van Winkle said.
But after the NCAA championships, what follows next for Van Winkle is even more beach volleyball and even more school.
She hopes to continue her playing career as a pro before attending nursing school to achieve her goal of becoming a nurse.
Until then, Van Winkle is four wins away from adding one more honor as a Bruin: a second national championship.
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