A&M-Corpus Christi predicted to win Southland Beach Volleyball title; Players to Watch announced
FRISCO, Texas – The A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders are predicted to repeat as champions of the Southland Conference in beach volleyball, as the 2023 preseason poll and players to watch were released by the conference office Friday.
The Southland will feature seven teams competing for the beach volleyball title this season, with Boise State and San José State joining the league as affiliate members this season. The majority of conference play will take place at the mid-season invitational in Houston on March 11-12, with all seven teams participating.
A&M-Corpus Christi will host the Southland Beach Volleyball Championships at The Water’s Edge on April 21-23, with the winner taking the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
The Islanders earned 65 points in the preseason poll with seven first place votes, followed closely by HCU in second with four first place votes and 61 overall points. Boise State earned three first place votes and 52 points.
San José State and New Orleans tied for fourth in the poll with 34 points each, with Southeastern in sixth at 33 points and Nicholls in seventh at 15 points.
Head coaches and sports information directors at each school voted in the preseason poll and were not permitted to vote for their own school. The Players to Watch list was submitted by each school.
The regular season begins next weekend with all seven Southland beach teams in action at tournaments across the country.
2023 SOUTHLAND BEACH VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Pl |
School |
1st |
Pts |
| 1 |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
7 |
65 |
| 2 |
HCU |
4 |
61 |
| 3 |
Boise State |
3 |
52 |
| 4 |
San José State |
|
34 |
|
New Orleans |
|
34 |
| 6 |
Southeastern |
|
33 |
| 7 |
Nicholls |
|
15 |
PLAYERS TO WATCH
A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Kiley Lewis, Gr., Lake Tapps, Wash. (Auburn Mountainview HS) – Picked up 15 wins last year and was 11-10 with her partner where they went 3-0 in the SLC Tournament to clinch the title for the Islanders. She earned an All-Conference Second Team nod and was recognized as the AVCA/CBVB National Pair of the Week after winning the deciding match of the SLC Championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Giuliana Poletti Corrales, Sr., Asuncion, Paraguay (Colegio Internacional) – Finished last season ranked No. 12 in the nation in the final PABLO Ranking system after going 24-9 on court one with notable wins over No. 2 TCU, No. 4 Florida State and No. 6 LSU. Holds a 42-26 career record and was honored nationally with an AVCA Top Flight Award on Flight One last season while also being tabbed to the All-Conference Second Team.
Tori Johnson, Jr., Winchester, Virginia (Millbrook HS) – Tabbed to the All-Conference First Team last season after posting an 18-15 record primarily on court two, including a win over No. 17 Arizona State. Including the conference tournament, she was 9-2 against SLC opponents and won two matches in the tournament to help the Islanders win the title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Shea Slusser, R-Jr., Denton, Texas (Denton Guyer HS) – Posted an 18-14 overall record last year, including registering a win over No. 15 FIU, to earn an All-Conference Third-Team honor. She went 2-0 in the SLC Tournament with straight-set wins in the semifinals and finals to help the Islanders win the title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
HCU
Alison Stanfill, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman HS) – Stanfill is 10th on the program’s all-time wins list with 36. Earned Pair of the Year, Pair of the Tournament, Freshman of the Year and First Team all-conference honors in 2021.
Lindsay Harris, Sr., Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield HS) – Harris was a Third Team all-conference selection in 2022 with a 12-14 record at the No. 3 position with partner Kristen Kleymeyer. Harris owns 27 career wins.
Kristen Kleymeyer, Jr., Austin, Texas (Lake Travis HS) – Kleymeyer was a Third Team all-conference selection in 2022 with a 12-14 record at the No. 3 position with partner Lindsay Harris. Overall, Kleymeyer has 24 wins in her 2 seasons and was an SLC all-academic selection in 2022.
Maddie Butters, Sr., Bothell, Wash. (Bothell HS) – Butters is currently tied for eighth in program history with 40 career wins. Last season, she earned 8 wins at the No. 1 position.
BOISE STATE
Rori Chartier, Jr., Edmond, Okla. (Santa Fe HS) - Rori went 18-11 last season holding down the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Competed at the AVCA National Pairs Championship this past fall.
Sierra Land, Jr., Albuquerque N.M. (Volcano Vista HS) - Sierra went 18-11 as well at the No. 1 and No. 2 spot. She also competed in the inaugural AVCA National Pairs Championship.
Madison Nichols, So., Olympia, Wash. (Capital HS) - Madi went 20-9 last year at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. She finished last season on an 11-match win streak including knocking off No. 13 Cal Poly.
SAN JOSÉ STATE
Jaida Ward, Sr., Tracey, California (Lincoln HS / West Valley College) – A standout defender with exceptional vision. In 2022 went 10-4 in the No. 1 pair with partners Haylee Nelson and Amethyst Harper.
Tessa Rogers, So., Raleigh, N.C. (UNCW) – Explosive blocker who knows how to find the sand. 19-16 last season with UNCW.
Siena Brewster, Sr., Los Altos, California (Palo Alto HS) – Finished the 2022 season on a six-match winning streak. Looking to build on that momentum in 2023.
NEW ORLEANS
Ania Esarte, Sr., Madrid, Spain – Esarte is the 2022 Southland Newcomer of the year, half of the 2022 Southland Conference Pair of the Year, and a 2022 first team all-conference honoree. Esarte posted a 27-6 record with her former partner to include wins over LSU (ranked No. 5 at the time), Tulane (ranked No. 21 at the time), and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Last year was Esarte's first season at UNO.
Maria Ozeata, Fr., Spain - Maria Ozeata comes to UNO from Spain where she competed in the 2022 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour as part of the Spain national team. Ozeata is also a former partner of Esarte's.
Alexa Spartz, Sr., Glendale, Ariz., Sandra Day O'Connor HS - Spartz is a crafty player with sharp decision-making skills. Spartz and Trinity Jackson went 23-12 last spring at court three with major wins over Tulane and LSU at court three. She rounded out the season making the first team all-conference and first team all-academic team. She also represented UNO at the inaugural American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Pairs Championship. Spartz has a 47-44 overall record.
Trinity Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo., Lewis Palmer HS - Jackson landed a 2022 SLC first team all-conference honor going 23-12 last season at court three alongside Alexa Spartz. She is 35-21 all-time in the sand.
SOUTHEASTERN
Jolie Hidalgo, Sr., Opelousas, La. (Teurlings Catholic HS) - Has been a top blocker for the Lions with a 21-11 record last year at the 1’s and 2’s pairs, earning Southland Pair of the Week honors in 2022. She was also named to the all-conference team in 2022 and is a three-time Southland Honor Roll recipient.
Meagan Scuderi, Sr., Metairie, La. (Archbishop Chapelle HS) - Has been the top defender for Southeastern since the program’s inception with a 21-11 record in 2022 at the 1’s and 2’s pair. She received Pair of the Week honors in 2022, all-conference, all-academic, and is a three-time Southland Honor Roll member.
Mia McKinney, Fr., Humble, Texas (Atascocita HS) - Competed for GCVA Beach Volleyball and was one of the Lions’ top performers in the fall.
Eryn Wilks, Sr., Hammond, La. (Hammond HS) - 19-11 record in 2022 and has been a three-time Southland Honor Roll Member and Southland All-Conference in 2022
NICHOLLS
Luciana Chuong, Houston, Texas - A newcomer to the Nicholls beach program, Chuong is coming off a strong juniors career with Third Coast Beach Volleyball.
Bethanie Durant, Houston, Texas - A newcomer to the Nicholls beach program, Durant put together a stellar junior’s career with AVA Beach Volleyball.
Katie Jones, Mont Belvieu, Texas – Jones is entering her third year for the Colonels. Katie has played in the 1-4 positions during her time and has won matches in each of the seasons.
Kennedi Steele, Henderson, Nev. – In her second year for the Colonels, Steele won three matches last year alongside partner Katie Jones.
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