Beach Volleyball Thrilled to Open 2024 Campaign at Grand Sands in Ohio This Weekend

SCHEDULE (LINK TO LIVE RESULTS)

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Beach Volleyball is excited to open its 2024 season this weekend with a quartet of matches at Grand Sands venue in Loveland, Ohio. 

The Eagles will face former Ohio Valley Conference foes Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay on Friday and then Liberty and Tusculum on Saturday. Head coach Sarah Martin embarks her first year as head coach after serving as assistant for several seasons. Former head coach Kyrsten Becker-McBride, who now leads the indoor program, stayed on as assistant coach and Jason McCown serves in his first year as assistant, also serving on the indoor staff.

MSU was picked to finish third in the OVC and Sydney Wyman, who played in the No. 1 pairing for the Eagles last year, returns as the No. 7 rated player in the league in the preseason poll.

"One of the unique pieces with the OVC is that we get to have a really high level of excitement for both sports - indoor in the fall and beach in the spring," said Martin. "We have four beach only players who trained all fall - just the four of them. It's really a grind for them, so being able to bring in the rest of the team to train in the sand in the spring gives us fresh, new motivation."

Wyman, who paired with graduated Trinity Miller for a 12-8 record at No. 1 last year, believes her team is primed for an exciting season.

"The team has really progressed well with the new transition into the beach season," she said. "We have really stayed patient and it has allowed us to really build a good foundation."

MSU's beach only players include freshmen Landyn Snowden, Bella Marita and Lily-Kate Carver and junior Elena Verdecchia. Verdecchia served as the indoor team's manager for the past seasons and transitions to playing in the sand now. Opening weekend will be especially nice for Marita, who trained at Grand Sands prior to joining the Eagle program. 

"Fun is a word I'd describe the first five weeks of training and preparing for another competitive season," Martin continued. 

Wyman hopes the team will come out and work together on the first weekend. 

"I really want to see us work together and stay united as a team throughout this weekend and get some really good experience," she said. 

Other returnees include Peighton Isley, M.E. Hargan, Shea Hefner, Maycie Welborn, Irene Wogenstahl and Brenna Bommer. Newcomers, also on the indoor roster, include Amelia Nott, Avery Ray, Hollan Everett, Ellie Whiteside, Sydney Sennett and Courtney Fitzgerald. 

Bommer and Wogenstahl have the most experience of the veterans. Last season, Bommer had a 14-11 mark, including 12-10 at No. 5. Wogenstahl was 12-15 but 6-4 in conference and 11-8 at No. 4. 

"This weekend, we're focusing on what's ahead of us," said Martin. "We're very proud of our past success. But, we want to make sure we're taking positive steps each day and each week throughout the season."

Morehead State has had five straight above .500 seasons and reached the OVC Tournament title match two straight seasons.