Pronounced DOE-uh
CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga indoor volleyball is proud to announce yet another commit to its 2024 squad, with Turkish native and UCF transfer Doga Ocal signing the dotted line, as announced by head coach Julie Torbett Thomas on Friday.
Ocal comes to the Scenic City having most recently attended the University of Central Florida for the 2023 season, where she ultimately redshirted with the Knights and maintained all four years of her eligibility. The six-foot-two outside hitter adds immediate size to the UTC lineup, with her height matching the tallest listed height on Chattanooga's active 2024 roster (tied with Marcelle Baez-Carlo).
"Doga is an accomplished international volleyball player," Coach Torbett Thomas said. "Her experience in both Turkey and the United States positions her as a formidable contender for a key role on the outside.
Doga is also a perfect 4.0 student, embodying the work ethic and dedication we value in our program. Her academic excellence and commitment to her sport make her a wonderful addition to our roster."
Ocal's senior year highlights while back in her hometown of Antalya, Turkey, include earning a first-place finish at regionals, a second-place finish in the semifinals and ultimately a ninth-place at the Turkish National Championships, all while holding the title of team captain for her squad at Anatolian High School.
In her career, Ocal raked in numerous honors including First Team All-League honors in 2020 as well as Second Team All-League nods in 2021 and 2022. Statistically, she led her team in kills in each of those seasons.
Additional high school achievements for Ocal involve finishing in second place in the High School National Championships during her sophomore season, earning a second-place finish at regionals in her freshman season, as well as finishing ninth overall at the U16 Turkish National Championships.
While Ocal was a redshirt last year, she joins the Mocs with a year of collegiate-level training, practicing, and strength & conditioning under her belt whilst at UCF last season, one of the newly minted Big 12 programs. The Knights ended up finishing 17-12 (8-10 Big 12) in 2023.
Ocal also brings a vast amount of beach volleyball experience with her from her home country of Turkey, having served as a member of the U18 and U20 Turkish Beach Volleyball National Teams. As such, Ocal has had the opportunity to play in multiple high-profile tournaments like the 2022 U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships and the 2020 U20 Beach Volleyball European Championships.
Born August 11, 2004, Doga intends on majoring in psychology during her time at Chattanooga. Some of Ocal's interests include traveling, yoga, reading, drawing and extreme sports.
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