MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Head Coach Arielle Wilson has signed her first transfer athlete to the Central Michigan Volleyball program in Karla Sanchez.
Sanchez comes to Mount Pleasant after spending her freshman season at Houston Christian where she was a beach volleyball player.
The 6’1 setter, a native for Canovanas, Puerto Rico, attended Colegio Adianez High School in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and played beach and indoor volleyball there for four seasons, 2018-2024. Sanchez was a top three setter for the U21 Women’s North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORECEA) at an international level.
Sanchez, an Olympic Youth Gymnasiade and 2025 competitor with the Puerto Rican National Team in the Panamericana Cup, won the silver medal with the national team in 2024.
On making the move to CMU, Karla says “I chose Central Michigan University because it felt like the perfect balance between high-level athletics and strong academics.
From the moment I connected with the volleyball staff, I felt seen — not just as an athlete, but as a person. The coaches truly care about player development and long-term success.
As an international student-athlete from Puerto Rico, finding a place that felt welcoming and supportive was important to me, and CMU gave me that sense of home. I also loved that I could pursue a double major in Industrial Engineering and International Business, which is a rare and powerful combination for a future career.
One moment that confirmed CMU was right for me happened during my visit — I watched a practice where the team competed hard, laughed together, and had a culture of respect. That energy and unity stuck with me. I knew I wanted to be part of that.”
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