MEET OUR EXPERTS IN VOLLEYBALL RECRUITING
Nikki King- Founder
Nikki Valentine King has over 30 years of experience in club volleyball coaching. As a standout setter at Mother McAuley High School in Chicago, she earned All-American honors and helped her team place second nationally. She received a full scholarship to Indiana University, where she was the starting setter, and later transferred to Loyola University of Chicago for a BBA in Marketing. Nikki's coaching achievements include leading teams to fifth place at the Girls Junior National Championship in 2007 and third place in 2011. She was named USAV Great Lakes Region Female Coach of the Year in 2012 and nominated for USAV national female Coach of the Year award for her success in training and placing athletes at the collegiate level.Her career includes working with various Chicago organizations: 2nd City, Ultimate, and UNO, where she held roles such as Recruiting Director, Technical Director, and Offensive Coordinator. From 2011 to 2016, she also served as a certified regional official for USAV and IHSA. Ilayda Demirtas is a former professional volleyball player from Turkey and former NCAA Division I student-athlete who competed at the University of Hawaii and Tulane University. After earning an athletic scholarship to play in the United States, she gained firsthand experience navigating every stage of the college recruiting process—from connecting with college coaches and selecting the right program to balancing academics with the demands of Division I athletics.
During her freshman season at the University of Hawaii, Ilayda helped lead her team to a Big West Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Her experience competing at two Division I programs, combined with her background as a professional athlete, has given her a unique understanding of what it takes to succeed at the collegiate level and what coaches look for in prospective student-athletes.
In addition to her playing career, Ilayda has coached athletes through club volleyball and college camps, helping players develop their skills, confidence, and understanding of the game. Having experienced the recruiting process from both the athlete’s and coach’s perspective, she is passionate about guiding athletes and their families through every step of the journey.
Ilayda believes every athlete has a unique story, and she is dedicated to helping each player showcase their potential and find the best academic and athletic opportunity.
Ilayda Demirtas
Deawah Moore
Deaweh Moore is a Recruiting Consultant at PIC3 and the only athlete to play Division I volleyball from Valley High school in Sacramento, California. She played at Loyola University Chicago (1995–2000), where she emerged as a standout middle blocker and helped lead the program to its first-ever NCAA tournament bid. As team captain she also earned the Rambler award. (1999)
She returned to her Alma mater in 2001 as Head Varsity Coach, then stepped away from the game for two decades. In 2022, she reignited her coaching career at Eagles Landing Christian Academy. By 2025, in her first Varsity season, she led her team to the second round of Georgia state playoffs.
Deaweh combines elite playing experience, resilient leadership, and a passion for developing athletes — most notably guiding her daughter, Marley Moore, (A-5) on her journey to play Division I volleyball at Wofford College.T’ara Austin
T’ara oversees PIC3’s video editing. Prior to joining the PIC3 team, T’ara was an outside hitter and MAC Conference Player of the Year at Northern Illinois University. She later transferred and completed her senior year as an outside hitter at the University of South Florida. T’ara has 5 years of club experience and is a fitness coach. She also played for Nikki King when she was 16 years old and finished 3rd place at the Girls Junior National Championships. Currently playing professional beach volleyball.