In her first season at El Camino College, middle blocker Amiekal Looney has quickly become one of the most dominant players in the South Coast Conference.
Leading the Warriors women’s volleyball team with 261 total kills and a 3.11 kills-per-set average, Looney has already earned All-SCC First Team honors.
Behind the impressive stats, the standout freshman’s journey to volleyball began with something much simpler: she just didn’t like basketball.
Growing up in Rancho Cucamonga before moving to Los Angeles in 2021, sports were always part of her family.
Her mother played Division I basketball, and the expectation was to follow in her footsteps. “
I just couldn’t do it. I hated running,” Looney said. “My mom was like, ‘You’re not about to just be tall and not do anything athletic.’”
Volleyball entered Looney’s life unexpectedly. In eighth grade, she tried it with her best friend and something clicked.
“I just had a lot of fun playing the game. I was so new, learning everything, and I loved it,” she said.
Her growth was gradual.
COVID pushed her freshman year online, and she attended Venice and Hamilton high school.
Club volleyball helped her develop, but Looney says she didn’t truly feel confident until junior year, when her skills finally caught up to her potential.
When college came around, she used the recruiting app FieldLevel, where ECC coach Liz Hazell reached out to her.
Looney toured the campus, liked the environment and committed.
Looking back, Looney feels she chose the right place.
“I’ve been having a lot of fun. The girls, the community, the staff — everybody wants to see you succeed. That helps a lot,” she said.
Her impact has been immediate. Along with her total kills, she leads the Warriors’ defense with 66 total blocks, including 21 solo efforts, and added 20 service aces on the year.
Her teammates say her influence goes far beyond numbers.
“One thing she brought to the team that people don’t always see is her constant positivity,” left back Cynthia Nario said. “She always had encouraging words and kept our energy up. Her spirit kept our team grounded and confident. She’s hardworking, goal-driven, and pushes herself in every drill.”
Setter Justine Sapitanan said Looney helped shape the team’s identity.
“Amiekal is the kind of teammate who lifts everyone around her without even trying. She keeps us focused, motivated, and connected. Her work ethic inspires rather than intimidates, and she makes the team feel like a family,” Sapitanan said.
Hazell saw her growth up close.
“Amiekal stands out by being quick and physical. She works to be available to hit all the time and is a presence at the net. One of her biggest improvements was adapting to the workload-we set her a ton,” Hazell said.
Despite Looney having knee pain, shin splints and constant soreness, she stays grounded through faith.
“Having a good relationship with God helps me. At the end of the day, it’s just volleyball. If I stress too much, I’ll stop having fun,” she said.
Looking into the future, she hopes to transfer to a four-year university and continue playing Division I or II volleyball while pursuing a nursing degree.
The long-term goal is to become a dermatology nurse practitioner and open her own practice.
Looney’s advice to her younger self is simple.
“It’s going to be okay. Stop stressing — you’ll be fine,” she said.
