Maggie Li’s story did not begin at UCLA – and it did not begin with volleyball either.

In fact, the junior outside hitter competed in swimming and even considered pursuing a future in tennis. But unlike the individual nature of both those sports, volleyball stood out to Li because it offered her something different – an opportunity to play on a team.

And for Li, there was not a single defining moment that made volleyball feel like her sport – it was always there.

Volleyball had already been woven into her life from a young age. It began 6,250 miles away from Westwood in her hometown of Beijing, where her connection to the sport developed, thanks to her mother.

“My mom used to play volleyball, and she had a volleyball team,” Li said. “Ever since I can remember, I have been around volleyball, so it kind of has been there with me throughout my whole life.”

Even though her career has taken her to the other side of the world, Li’s mother has remained a constant support system.

“I talk to my mom almost every single day,” Li said. “I always go to her when I’m not feeling my best, when I’m facing challenges and preparing for games – she always has good advice.”

Li earned the titles of Best Outside Hitter in the 9th Chinese national traditional sports league and Most Valuable Player of the Beijing district high school women’s volleyball championship in 2021. The following year, she also competed on the international stage with the Chinese U-20 women’s national team and earned the silver medal at the Asian U-20 Women’s Volleyball Championship.

Li played alongside players on the national team who already had experience in the professional volleyball scene and competed in high-level leagues. Li said competing alongside players with professional experience early in her career shaped the way she approaches the game in both practice and competition.

“The Chinese women’s national team is known for its grittiness – like perseverance,” Li said. “And I think that really brought me to who I am today.”

That perseverance would be tested once Li made the jump from playing volleyball in China to playing in the United States.

Li said she remained curious and leaned on her teammates to help her adjust to the new environment. She added that she also had to learn about the differences in technicalities from how teams in the U.S. ran offenses and defenses.

“It’s definitely not an easy transition,” Li said. “I remember at first I couldn’t talk a lot, and I didn’t know how to speak volleyball terms in another language. It’s really hard because as a team sport, we communicate so much – and communication for me was a really big obstacle.”

But with her teammates helping her navigate the learning curve, the adjustment period became a key component of Li’s development and shaped her approach prior to stepping onto the court at the collegiate level.

In her debut season at California, Li ended with 441 total kills – the third-most in the Pac-12 – and posted 491 points. She also became the third player in program history – and the first since 1990 – to earn the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year title that same season.

Li would also make an impact on the ACC conference as a sophomore with the Golden Bears and led the team in kills for 28 matches, with a total of 463 kills and 4.06 kills per set.

After two seasons in Berkeley, Li entered the transfer portal – and had no shortage of options to choose from. But when it came time to choose her next destination, she said UCLA stood out immediately.

“I remember I got a lot of offers during my transfer process,” Li said. “But the connection that me and (Coach) Alfee (Reft) had over the phone was the most genuine. I saw that I was needed – and it was more like an instinct – I felt like this is where I belong for my next two years.”

Li finished off her first season as a Bruin with 191 kills, 121 digs and 20 blocks in blue and gold – and she’s just getting started.