Walnut, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Women's Beach Volleyball Team is digging deep as they prepare for what promises to be an exciting 2025 season filled with promise and potential. Head Coach Samantha Neely, along with assistant coaches Danielle Diaz and Lauren Quinonez, have been hard at work developing the team's skillset so they're ready to compete.

With a mix of returning talent and new players transitioning from indoor volleyball, the focus this preseason has been on forming strong partnerships and refining their skills for the sand. "Pairing players is a whole process with a lot of factors that go into it," Neely explained. "We evaluate each player's skillset – their strengths and weaknesses – and find combinations that complement each other. We also take their personalities into account. Sometimes the partnerships are obvious, while other times we are making a lot of switches in the beginning."   

While the coaching staff ultimately determines the pairings, player input is an essential part of the process. "We have meetings with each athlete because we want to make sure they are confident and connected with their partners," Neely added. "Our team has great chemistry, but once they get into a competitive environment those personalities need to work in harmony."

This year, the team faces a unique challenge as many players are new to the sand. Only three athletes – Candace Ceballos, Freda Lei and Eva Becerra – return from last season's squad, brining valuable experience to the group. Ceballos, in particular, stands out as a seasoned beach player with high school experience. "Beach volleyball is her forte and what she wants to move forward with at the four-year level," Neely said. "She went to the State Championship last year, and although she fell a little bit short, I'm excited to see her really own it this season. She's hungry to go even further this year."  

For the remaining 14 players on the roster, transitioning from indoor to beach volleyball is no easy task. The physical demands of the sand, along with rule and technique differences, require significant adjustments. "The cardio for beach is gnarly," Neely shared. "It is more demanding, and they have to be in better shape because the sand is a different beast. Plus, for beach there is only two players on the sand, so you have to do everything – hit, defend and serve receive. They're required to have a more well-rounded skill set."

One of the biggest challenges is adjusting to the outdoors. "We're taking players who have spent their whole careers playing an indoor sport and putting them outside," Neely explained. "Not only are they dealing with the sun and wind, but a completely different surface." In fact, some of the technique between indoor and beach volleyball is almost the exact opposite. "I tell them to forget everything we've been working on for the past six months for indoor volleyball and adapt to beach. It's crazy – we're starting with the ABCs of beach volleyball and in just three weeks, they have to be ready to compete at the collegiate level," Neely said.

The Mounties face fierce competition in one of the state's toughest conferences, featuring programs like El Camino (coached by Olympian April Ross), Long Beach, Cerritos, College of the Desert, and Rio Hondo. "Our conference prepares us for the postseason intensity," Neely noted. "We've had pairs reach the State Championship before, but our goal this season is to qualify as a team."

This will be the second season played on Mt. SAC's state-of-the-art beach volleyball courts. With Neely contributing to its design, the facility has become a source of pride for the team. "We have the most advanced beach volleyball set up in the area," Neely said. "It's our happy space, and the vibe is incredible."

Anticipation is building as the season approaches. "I'm excited to see how far this group can go because they have so much talent and potential," Neely said with enthusiasm. "I don't think they realize how good they can be yet."

The Mt. SAC Women's Beach Volleyball Team kicks off their season on Friday, January 24, at the Spartan Invitational hosted by MiraCosta College. They will face Arizona Christian University at 10:00 AM and San Diego Mesa at 12:00 PM. The tournament continues on Saturday, January 25, with schedule details to be determined based on Friday's results.

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.