San Diego Mojo Signs Middle Blocker Karis Watson
MLV San Diego Mojo

San Diego Mojo Signs Middle Blocker Karis Watson

Published on August 15, 2025 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
San Diego Mojo News Release


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Mojo has signed middle blocker Karis Watson for the 2026 season, the organization announced on Friday. Watson has eight years of professional experience and previously played with the Atlanta Vibe.

"I'm absolutely thrilled and so grateful for the opportunity to join this organization," Watson said. "I look forward to all of the new challenges this season will bring, and the chance to compete alongside such an elite group of athletes and spread a love for our sport. Of course, being coached by Alisha Glass Childress, a living legend, is the cherry on top."

Watson was a member of the Atlanta Vibe's inaugural roster in 2024, helping the team secure the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation regular-season championship. She appeared in 12 regular-season games and 37 sets, scoring 62 points with 40 kills, 21 blocks and one service ace, while registering 21 digs. Watson took part in the first match in PVF history, when the Vibe topped the Omaha Supernovas on January 24. She notched four kills with four blocks and three digs in the game.

Prior to joining the Vibe, Watson's career included a season with Athletes Unlimited and stops in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and France. During the 2017-18 season with Hylte/Halmstad, she was named the Swedish Elitserien's Best Middle Blocker and collected Best Spiker honors in the Swedish Cup.

Watson was a four-year letter winner for Clemson from 2011-14, where she appeared in 88 matches and 301 sets for the Tigers. Over the course of her college career, she tallied 459 kills and recorded 320 total blocks with the Tigers.

She was a multisport star for Rock Hill High in her hometown of Rock Hill, S.C. as a four-year letterwinner in track & field and three-year letterwinner in volleyball. On the court, she earned Prepvolleyball.com Honorable Mention All-American honors as a senior after leading her school to the 2010 AAAA Upper State Championship with a 37-2 record. On the year, she recorded 367 kills and 113 blocks, including 27 kills in the upper state championship. On the track she was an all-state athlete in the high jump, triple jump and shot put.

Watson hails from a family with a strong athletic lineage. Her father, Ken Watson, played football at Maryland. Her brother, Benjamin, played football at Georgia and a former 16-year NFL tight end who won Super Bowl XXXIX as a rookie with the Patriots. Her sister, Jessica, was a track and field athlete at Coastal Carolina, and her brother, Asa, played tight end at NC State.

Watson is the 13th Mojo signee for the 2026 season, joining outside hitters Kendra Dahlke, Grace Loberg and Maya Tabron, opposite Morgan Lewis, middle blockers Kayla Caffey, Marin Grote, Taylor Sandbothe, and McKenna Vicini, setters Marlie Monserez and August Raskie, and liberos Kate Georgiades and Shara Venegas. Additional roster announcements will be made throughout the free agency window, and fans can follow every San Diego signing through the Mojo Free Agent Tracker.

Fans can place deposits now for 2026 Season Memberships at the team's website, LetsGoMojo.com. For more information, contact the team at tickets@sandiegomojovb.com or call (619) 984-6656 (MOJO).

Player Details

Name: Karis Watson

Pronunciation: CARE-iss

Position: Middle Blocker

Height: 6-2

Date of Birth: December 30, 1992

Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.

Country: United States

College: Clemson

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