INLAND ALL-AREA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Julia Tolstova
Redlands, senior
DONALD REYES, TEMECULA PREP
Reyes guided the program to a historic season in his 15th year at the helm.
The Patriots finished with a 27-5record and won the CIF Southern Section Division 8championship, which was the school’s first section title in any sport. Temecula Prep claimed that section crown in dominant fashion, recording sweeps in 4of 5postseason matches, including a 25-19, 25-14, 25-17 victory over Geffen Academy in the Division 8 championship match. The Patriots closed the season with a 15-match winning streak and won 76of the 93sets (81.7%) they played this season. Temecula Prep also won the South Valley League’s title in unbeaten fashion.
OH: Fallyn Blotzer, Santiago, Jr.
OH: Morgan Graves, Don Lugo, Jr. OH: Madison Snow, Temecula Valley,
OH: Savannah Thomas, Rancho Christian, Jr.
OH: Julia Tolstova, Redlands, Sr. (Player of the Year)
OH: Demi Wagdy, Norco, Sr.
OH: Carina Zaldivar, Rancho Cucamonga, Jr.
OH: Dakota Zieman, Ontario Christian, Jr.
MB: Lilliana Montes, Vista Murrieta,
MB: Sarai Ross, Cajon, Sr.
S: Mya Capistrano, Roosevelt, Fr.
S: Katrina Catalan, Vista Murrieta, Sr.
S/RS: Brooke Hansen, Etiwanda, Jr.
L: Rylee Sengdara, Roosevelt, Sr.
L: Miliani Villareal, Vista Murrieta, Sr.
REDLANDS >> Julia Tolstova shattered several career records as a member of the Redlands High School girls volleyball team.
And those numbers are much more impressive considering Tolstova didn’t play a match for the Terriers until her sophomore year.
Tolstova, a 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter, was an offensive workhorse over three seasons and established new program records with 1,344 career kills and 3,349 career attacks. Tolstova capped a stellar career at Redlands by recording 414 kills and 251 digs during her senior season and helping the Terriers win the Citrus Belt League’s title in unbeaten fashion for a second straight year.
For those reasons, Tolstova has been selected the IE Varsity Girls Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2023 season
Tolstova, like a majority of volleyball players in the Class of 2024, missed out on playing as a freshman because of the pandemic. She quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with when she tallied 389 kills her sophomore season. Tolstova followed up with an Inland-best 541 kills during the 2022 campaign, as she led the program to its first league championship in 16 seasons.
“Julia just has that competitive drive that can’t be taught,” Redlands coach Corinne Flowers said. “That’s always the big question: nature or nurture. With Julia, I think it goes back to her family. There are high expectations to do things to the best of your ability.”
Tolstova agrees. The daughter of Belarussian immigrants, Tolstova looks around and sees success throughout her entire family.
“My mom is a professor, and my dad is a software developer. They are both extremely intelligent, as is my brother,” Tolstova said. “I take a lot of pride in that. With intelligence comes competitiveness. I think that is where my drive to be successful stems from.”
Tolstova had a late introduction to the sport of volleyball. She tried swimming and gymnastics and also danced for seven years.
“I started playing volleyball near the end of my dancing career, about when I was 11,” Tolstova said. “I think the years of dancing really helped me become a better volleyball player. Dancing is very challenging, and the skills helped me when I was starting out.”
Tolstova relied on her jumping ability and power as a sophomore, but she added finesse to her repertoire the final two years and her efficiency improved. Tolstova had a .241 hitting percentage during 2021, but she hit a combined .309 in 2022 and 2023.
“I really saw her become a great allaround hitter and player over her three seasons,” Flowers said. “She obviously put up some phenomenal numbers on offense, but she improved so much as a serve receiver. There were different areas of growth each year, and I think one of the most important was her growth as a leader. She has a presence that really helped lift up those around her.”
While the numbers are impressive, Tolstova said she is most proud of helping the program reclaim the Citrus Belt League crown.
“Redlands hadn’t won a league title since the year I was born, so being able to help lift the program to that level is something I’ll always remember,” said Tolstova, who is still weighing her collegiate options. “I came in wanting to be the best player I could be, and it’s because of the program as a whole, from all of my coaches and my teammates, that helped me accomplish what I did.”