Basketball had long been the sport of choice for Tucker Ellis.
But Ellis sought a change a pace when he arrived at Elsinore High School four years ago and decided to try his hand at volleyball.
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Elsinore High School senior outside hitter Tucker Ellis is the IE Varsity Boys Volleyball Player of the Year. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
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Elsinore High School senior outside hitter Tucker Ellis is the IE Varsity Boys Volleyball Player of the Year. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)
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The transition was seamless, as Ellis become one of the most productive and efficient outside hitters in the Inland Empire during his time with the Tigers. He capped his career in style, tallying a school-record 482 kills (5.4 per set) while hitting at a clip of .375. Ellis, who stands 6-foot-4, helped Elsinore win another league championship this year, and he finished his career with 1,170 kills.
For those reasons, Ellis has been selected the IE Varsity Boys Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2025 season.
Ellis was a point guard on the basketball court, and those skills proved valuable when making the move to volleyball.
“He has always had great vision, so he sees the court very well,” said Tom Ellis, Tucker’s father and coach for his senior season. “He can read where everybody is on the court and find the open spaces to put the ball down. He knows how to score efficiently.”
Added Tucker: “I think my peripheral vision is a great strength of mine. I can see where the blockers are and find those seams.”
Tucker also is a student of the game. Tom Ellis has often awakened during the middle of the night to find his son watching film.
“That’s another thing that came from basketball,” Tucker said. “When I was a freshman, we would watch film all of the time, even during lunch. That really showed me how to study the game, learn what you’re doing right and wrong and get better as a player.”
Tom Ellis has coached his son throughout the years, but said that is a trait Tucker picked up on his own.
“When he’s playing club ball, he’s going against middles and right sides that are 6-7, 6-8 and 6-9,” Tom said. “The only way you’re going to hit through those kind of blocks is to study film and look for things to take advantage of.”
Tucker averaged 2.2 kills per set and hit .173 as a freshman. His hitting percentage his final three years were .328, .327 and .375.
“I just tried to hit the ball as hard as I could as a freshman, and I quickly found that wasn’t the best approach,” he said. “I needed to craft my game and add more shots to get the job done. I think my shot selection has improved and helped develop my game.”
Tucker also believed his leadership improved during his time with the program.
“Volleyball relies on teamwork and transition, so I did everything I could to make sure everyone was on the same page,” he said.
Tom Ellis relished the opportunity to coach his son his final year at Elsinore.
“I’ve coached him throughout his life, but this was a real special season,” he said. “I just sat back and enjoyed watching him play.”
Tucker is headed to La Sierra University, which has added men’s volleyball to its program of sports for the 2025-26 school year.
“I’m very excited to see what we can accomplish,” he said. “I know I need to get stronger to compete at the next level, but that is something I’m willing to do. I want to keep growing as a player and fine tune my game. It’s the little things that make a difference.”
IE VARSITY COACH OF THE YEAR
Yasser Aguila Todd, Great Oak
Aguila Todd has coached at all levels, including a stint as an assistant coach for the San Diego State women’s volleyball program. However, he returned to the high school ranks when he took the reins of the Great Oak boys program last season. The Wolfpack finished this past campaign with a 26-4 record, matching the program record for wins in a season. Great Oak went undefeated in Southwestern League play for the program’s first league title since 2018. The Wolfpack finished 26th in the CIF Southern Section regular-season rankings (best among Inland teams) and were the only area team to win a match in the Division 3 playoffs.
IE VARSITY FIRST TEAM
OH: Donovan Bacon, Fontana, Sr.
OH: Corbin Bishop, Vista Murrieta, So.
OH: Tucker Ellis, Elsinore, Sr.
OH: Micah Pool, Woodcrest Christian, Sr.
OH: Sean Spicer, Chino Hills, Jr.
OH: Luis Tarja, Great Oak, Fr.
OH: Weston Werner, Riverside Poly. Sr.
MB: Philip Shin, Redlands, Sr.
MB: Pierce Willardson, Santiago, Sr.
S: Carson Chambers, Santiago, Sr.
S: Luca Corelli, Murrieta Mesa, Sr.
S: Aiden DuFour, Upland, Sr.
S: Collin Ramos, Great Oak, Sr.
S: Jaime Villalvazo, Claremont, Sr.
L: Isaac Mendoza, Paloma Valley, Sr.
IE VARSITY SECOND TEAM
OH: Ashton Berg, Murrieta Mesa, Sr.
OH: Joshua Converse, Ontario Christian, Sr.
OH: Evan Eugene, Hillcrest, So.
OH: Ethan Lee, Rancho Cucamonga, Sr.
OH: Xavier Lobban, Rancho Verde, Jr.
OH: Eypreel Mendoza, Upland, Jr.
OH: Reyce Ongalibang. Santiago, Jr.
MB: Bryce Jacobson, Beaumont, Jr.
MB: London Lee, Roosevelt, Jr.
MB: Michael Mapes, Western Christian, Jr.
S: Alex Chang, Roosevelt, Jr.
S: Kai Higa, Woodcrest Christian, Jr.
S: James Lopez, Yucaipa, Jr.
S: Tanner Samosky, Riverside Poly, Jr.
L: Dylan Spry, Yucaipa, Sr.
