Bio

A native of Livermore, California, Christa Hicks serves as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Union Commonwealth University. 

Hicks is a 2007 graduate of Granada High School in Livermore, where she was a standout multi-sport athlete, earning four varsity letters in both volleyball and track. During her high school career, she was a three-time First Team All-EBAL (East Bay Athletic League) selection in volleyball and helped lead her track team to back-to-back EBAL championships. She also captured individual EBAL and Northern California Section (NCS) titles in the long jump her junior and senior years and was honored as Granada’s Female Athlete of the Year as a senior.

Hicks began her collegiate playing career at Chabot College (Hayward, CA), where she was a two-time First Team All-CCCAA North Coast selection in volleyball and led the team in kills and digs both seasons. She continued her education at the University of Mobile (Mobile, AL) studying Exercise Science and later graduated from Union Commonwealth University in 2015 with a degree in Human Performance. During her time at Union, she was recognized as an AAC Offensive Player of the Week in volleyball.

Her extensive coaching career spans both collegiate and elite club levels. Hicks has coached at Union Commonwealth University since 2024, previously serving in both head and assistant volleyball coaching roles. Her coaching resume includes positions at Santa Barbara Volleyball Club (2022–2024), Dive Jr's Volleyball Club (2021–2022), Rocky Elite Volleyball Club (2019–2021), Briar Cliff University (2018–2019), Horizon Volleyball Club (2015–2017), and Corbin High School (2014–2017). Additionally, she coached with NorCal High Performance, Renegades Volleyball Club, Core Volleyball Club, and her alma mater, Granada High School.

Throughout her coaching career, Hicks has developed numerous high-level athletes, including Raquel Kessler, the 2024 AAC Player of the Year, AAC Offensive Player of the Year, NAIA All-American, and AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year at Union Commonwealth University. Her teams have earned significant accomplishments such as winning the AAU Nationals 17 Club Division Championship (2022, Santa Barbara Volleyball Club), reaching the NAIA National Tournament (2018, Briar Cliff University Men's Volleyball), and winning district and regional titles at Corbin High School. She also contributed to a Bronze Medal finish with NorCal's Boys Youth Red Team at the 2014 High Performance Nationals.

Hicks comes from a strong athletic family background. Her father, Tom Hicks, was a former water polo player and swimmer at Cal State Hayward, while her mother, Teresa Hicks, competed in cross country and track at Cal State Hayward. Her brother, Thomas Hicks, also followed the athletic path as a former water polo player and swimmer.

Outside of volleyball, Hicks enjoys hiking with her dog, Grimm, as well as cooking, baking, traveling, spending lake days with friends and family, playing grass volleyball, and watching all levels of professional and college sports.

Coach Hicks brings a wealth of playing experience, leadership, and a strong record of player development to Union Commonwealth University, driven by her passion for the game, commitment to excellence, and dedication to building strong, successful student-athletes both on and off the court.

Updated: 4-28-25