University of Tennessee Athletics
November 11, 2026 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee volleyball head coach Eve Rackham Watt has announced the 2027 signing class for the Lady Vols.
"Today's signing class brings the talent, character and work ethic that Tennessee volleyball is built on", said head coach Eve Rackham Watt. "They understand what it means to compete at a high level, they're eager to be coached and they will add to our strong culture both on and off the court. We're excited to welcome them to Knoxville and to continue building something special for 2027."
This year's class features three players, including outside hitter Eva Jeffries, setter Lola Peters and outside hitter Mara Sandberg. Peters and Sandberg will join Tennessee in the spring, while Jeffries will enroll in the summer ahead of the 2027 season. Here is a breakdown of each of this year's signees.
Jeffries has participated at multiple NTDP and UA Next camps and is also ranked the No. 8 player in California according to PrepDig. Jeffries plays club volleyball for CITY Volleyball Club and was named to 15 Open USAV All-Tournament Team in 2024. Her father, Jared Jeffries, played collegiate basketball at Indiana and played 11 seasons in the NBA.
"Eva is a special talent; super physical, dynamic and the kind of player who can change a match. She's developed into one of the best players in the country over the last two years, and she can impact the game from either pin. What I love most is her humble nature and how well she's been trained in high school and club. She's going to be a tremendous point scorer for us and an extremely high-impact player in her career as a Lady Vol." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
Peters plays her club volleyball for 1United Volleyball Club, where she led the team to the championship at the 2025 Far Western National Qualifier. She is ranked as the 15th player in the state of Texas by PrepDig and attended the 2026 UA Next Camp.
"Lola is a high-ceiling player with great determination. She's new to full-time setting, but you can see the upside immediately. She has a strong learning mindset, a high motor and she plays with the goal of winning every rep. With more time in the gym, this is the kind of development trajectory that can be really exciting for our program. Lola will join us this spring and we are excited to get to work with her." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
Sandberg has accounted for over 1,200 kills in her high school career, as well as over 900 digs and 100 aces. She plays club volleyball for College Preparatory Academy Volleyball Club. Her father played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners organizations, while her mother played collegiate volleyball at Eastern Washington University.
"Mara is first and foremost an elite competitor. She is also a true six-rotation player and makes people around her better. She has an explosive arm, great back-row ability and the instincts to win points in every phase. She plays with an urgency that's contagious, and she's the type of athlete who thrives when the match gets tight. I am looking forward to Mara joining us this spring and watching her develop." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
"Today's signing class brings the talent, character and work ethic that Tennessee volleyball is built on", said head coach Eve Rackham Watt. "They understand what it means to compete at a high level, they're eager to be coached and they will add to our strong culture both on and off the court. We're excited to welcome them to Knoxville and to continue building something special for 2027."
This year's class features three players, including outside hitter Eva Jeffries, setter Lola Peters and outside hitter Mara Sandberg. Peters and Sandberg will join Tennessee in the spring, while Jeffries will enroll in the summer ahead of the 2027 season. Here is a breakdown of each of this year's signees.
Eva Jeffries / 6-3 / Outside Hitter / Los Angeles, California
Ranked as the No. 33 overall recruit in the country by PrepVolleyball.com, Jeffries plays for Sierra Canyon High School. She has helped lead Sierra Canyon to three consecutive CIF South Section Championships and four-straight Mission League titles. Jeffries was named to the 2026 MaxPreps National Player of the Year Watch List, and has compiled 1,026 kills, 667 digs, 152 blocks and 133 aces across her high school career. She was a 2024 MaxPreps All-American and has been named First Team All-Mission League three times.Jeffries has participated at multiple NTDP and UA Next camps and is also ranked the No. 8 player in California according to PrepDig. Jeffries plays club volleyball for CITY Volleyball Club and was named to 15 Open USAV All-Tournament Team in 2024. Her father, Jared Jeffries, played collegiate basketball at Indiana and played 11 seasons in the NBA.
"Eva is a special talent; super physical, dynamic and the kind of player who can change a match. She's developed into one of the best players in the country over the last two years, and she can impact the game from either pin. What I love most is her humble nature and how well she's been trained in high school and club. She's going to be a tremendous point scorer for us and an extremely high-impact player in her career as a Lady Vol." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
Lola Peter / 6-1 / Setter / Plano, Texas
Ranked as the No. 91 player and third overall setter according to PrepDig, Peters plays for Plano West Senior High School. Peters has helped lead Plano West to a pair of District 6-6A Championships in 2024 and 2025. She has been a two-time All-District selection at Plano West. Peters was named the 2025 6-6A All-District Utility Player of the Year and has over 1,700 assists in her high school career.Peters plays her club volleyball for 1United Volleyball Club, where she led the team to the championship at the 2025 Far Western National Qualifier. She is ranked as the 15th player in the state of Texas by PrepDig and attended the 2026 UA Next Camp.
"Lola is a high-ceiling player with great determination. She's new to full-time setting, but you can see the upside immediately. She has a strong learning mindset, a high motor and she plays with the goal of winning every rep. With more time in the gym, this is the kind of development trajectory that can be really exciting for our program. Lola will join us this spring and we are excited to get to work with her." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
Mara Sandberg / 5-11 / Outside Hitter / Spokane, Washington
Ranked as the No. 1 player in Washington by Prep Dig, Sandberg plays for Gonzaga Prep. Sandberg has led Gonzaga to a pair of district championships in 2025 and 2026, as well as back-to-back 3A/4A Greater Spokane League championships. Sandberg has also been named the Greater Spokane League MVP in consecutive years.Sandberg has accounted for over 1,200 kills in her high school career, as well as over 900 digs and 100 aces. She plays club volleyball for College Preparatory Academy Volleyball Club. Her father played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners organizations, while her mother played collegiate volleyball at Eastern Washington University.
"Mara is first and foremost an elite competitor. She is also a true six-rotation player and makes people around her better. She has an explosive arm, great back-row ability and the instincts to win points in every phase. She plays with an urgency that's contagious, and she's the type of athlete who thrives when the match gets tight. I am looking forward to Mara joining us this spring and watching her develop." - Head Coach Eve Rackham Watt
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