Born and raised in La Cañada, Marilena Mahan first picked up a volleyball when her best friend (who, like Marilena, is an only child) was bored and needed someone to play with. Not long after, Marilena’s dad took an interest in her competing in the sport and signed her up at the local volleyball camp when she was ten years old. She went on to become a four year letter earner in both Volleyball and Track & Field at La Cañada High School. As a proud Spartan coached by Kevin Boyke, she was named Rio Hondo League Honorable Mention and helped her team achieve an undefeated record in league two years in a row. During her high school career, she played for Santa Monica Beach Club and Cal Jrs. Volleyball Club, and as a result, is forever indebted to her parents for the countless numbers of hours they committed driving her to practices and tournaments.
She continued her passion for volleyball in college: while attending Santa Clara University, Marilena set all four years for their women’s club volleyball team. One of her best memories on the court was when her college team finished fifth nationally. Marilena graduated from Santa Clara University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Math, and is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration at Cal State Los Angeles.
Aside from her background in sports management, Marilena also has experience coaching, including Flintridge Volleyball Club’s 12s and 14s teams last season. Coaching girls’ volleyball is one of Marilena’s passions, and she is extremely excited about this season with her 14s!