Only one person can say that she came out victorious in the last three meetings between UCLA and Stanford women’s volleyball.
That person is Taylor Formico.
After playing on a UCLA team that swept Stanford last season, the former libero returned to Westwood last weekend with the Cardinal in her new role as the volunteer assistant coach.
“I moved home after I graduated in December and I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I was a little bit interested in coaching,” Formico said. “When (Stanford coach) Kevin (Hambly) got hired, (UCLA coach Michael) Sealy knew who he was and put in a good word for me, and it just happened to work out.”
Prior to coaching at Stanford, Formico was a two-time All-American and two-time Pac-12 Libero of the Year in her three seasons with UCLA.
Formico led the Pac-12 with 5.15 digs per set in 2016 and amassed 2,477 digs over her career. As captain of the Bruins’ 2016 squad, Formico was looked to as a team leader by her younger teammates, whom she got the opportunity to coach against Friday.
“It was weird because she’s such a great player, I miss having her,” said senior outside hitter Reily Buechler. “We played for three years together and it was weird seeing her out there. She was the one that was giving the serving areas and all that stuff and I was like, ‘please don’t serve me.'”
Although Formico had three seasons of experience with Sealy’s coaching style and strategy, he said he didn’t think that gave Stanford a scouting advantage because anyone can see tendencies by watching game footage.
Still, sophomore middle blocker Madeleine Gates also said it was weird seeing Formico on the other side.
“I think since so many of us are new or didn’t really play last year, I don’t think it was as much of an advantage because she didn’t really see us play so she couldn’t help in the scouting in that way,” Gates said. “It was definitely weird seeing her on the other side in red instead of blue.”
Formico said that it was great to be back at UCLA with all the familiar faces of her teammates – and to get the win.
The Saratoga, California, native said last year she had always dreamed of playing either for or against Stanford. Now, she gets to coach the reigning national champions.
“It’s such an honor just to be in the Stanford gym,” Formico said. “The program is unbelievable, the coaching staff is unbelievable and the team’s unbelievable. So just to be a part of it, something so great, is awesome.”
Stanford’s 2017 roster has not one, but two Formicos on the roster.
Defensive specialist Kate Formico, Taylor Formico’s younger cousin, is a freshman for the Cardinal who recorded nine digs against her cousin’s alma mater.
“It’s been great being in the gym with her,” Taylor Formico said. “These next four years of her life are really important. My four years at UCLA were the best, so it’s cool being a part of it as well as we have three other freshman … to be a part of their experience.”