Long Beach Setter Hofmans to Transfer to Northridge

Heather Hofmans, starting setter on Long Beach State’s women’s volleyball team last season, will transfer to Cal State Northridge in the fall and is expected to play for the Matadors during the 1995 season.

Hofmans, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Lakewood St. Joseph High, had 1,492 assists, 224 digs and 68 total blocks for the 49ers (27-6) last season.

Long Beach State, the 1993 NCAA Division I champion, advanced to the Northwest Region final last year before losing to Ohio State in four games.

Hofmans, a walk-on, beat out highly touted freshman Lori Price for the 49ers’ starting setter position last year, but Long Beach State Coach Brian Gimmillaro did not offer her a scholarship. Instead, he helped her approach schools that could.

“(Heather) would have had a chance at competing for the starting job,” Gimmillaro said. “But we had decided that we were only going to have one setter on a scholarship, and that was Lori.”

Hofmans had discussions with Northridge, Northern Arizona and California before being offered scholarships by the Matadors and Lumberjacks.

“I chose Northridge because I like Coach (Lian Kang Lu) and the fact that it’s not too far away from home (Bellflower),” Hofmans said. “It allows me to live away from home but still be close enough to visit.”

Northridge will benefit greatly from Hofmans’ transfer. The Matadors (23-8) won the National Invitational Volleyball Championship under Lu last season but five of their six starters were seniors, including setter Kathleen Shannon.

Carrie Kapfenberg of San Jose Leland High, Crystal Newquist of Bakersfield Highland and Santa Barbara San Marcos teammates Summer Billings and Holli Hansen signed letters of intent with Northridge earlier this year.

Kapfenberg and Hansen are 6-foot outside hitters and Newquist and Billings are 5-11 middle blockers.

Staff writer Jason Reid contributed to this story.