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Caleigh Garcia and Sydney Pipkin are taking the next step after helping lead one of the most dominant runs in Las Cruces High Volleyball history.
Garcia signed with Texas A&M International, while Pipkin is headed to Eastern New Mexico, giving the Bulldawgs multiple players moving on to the next level from a group that set the standard over the past three seasons.
That group extended beyond Garcia and Pipkin. Addison Massey, the three-time state player of the year, has already enrolled at Kansas State, giving Las Cruces volleyball three athletes continuing their careers at the collegiate level.
Over the last three state championship seasons, the Bulldawgs went 80–2, including back-to-back undefeated years. Garcia and Pipkin were part of a core group that didn’t just win — it controlled matches and raised expectations across the program.
“They’ve been a blessing to Cruces High volleyball,” head coach Keith Leupold said. “We expect good things from them, both in the classroom and on the volleyball court.”
Their connection started well before that stretch. The two have played together since middle school, developing a level of trust that carried into high school and showed up in the way they handled matches, moments and momentum.
For Garcia, signing represents everything that went into reaching this point.
“It’s honestly such a blessing,” she said. “I’ve worked so hard to get here, so it feels good to know all your work has paid off.”
Pipkin, who will remain in-state, pointed to the support around her as part of what made the opportunity meaningful.
“It’s really cool being able to stay in New Mexico and play close to home,” she said.
Garcia said her time with the Bulldawgs carried weight beyond the results.
“It just means the world to me that I got to be a part of a team like this,” she said.
For her father, Ronny Garcia, the moment reflects years of commitment that was built toward this step.
“All the hard work, the dedication, all the travel — it’s all coming to fruition,” he said.
Garcia and Pipkin leave behind more than wins, carrying with them a standard that helped define one of the strongest runs of success in state history.
