It’s beach, not sand, but UH’s goal is to win a title

Every new year brings change, and it is no exception for women’s collegiate beach volleyball.

In addition to the name change — from sand to beach volleyball — 2016 will be the first year of NCAA sponsorship. After four seasons under the aegis of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, beach volleyball becomes the NCAA’s 90th and newest championship sport.

One thing that remains the same, however, is Hawaii’s goal to win a national title. The Rainbow Wahine — or BeachBows — again are loaded, with 13 returnees, including All-American Nikki Taylor.

Taylor, named an indoor second-team All-American last month, is one of six players from Hawaii’s elite eight team who will double up with a second sport this spring. Sophomores Emily Maglio, Giana Guinasso and Clare-Marie Anderson return for a second beach season and will be joined by first-year players Casey Castillo, a freshman, and senior Tai Manu-Olevao.

Manu-Olevao is somewhat of a surprise addition, but “we’re excited to have her,” second-year beach coach Jeff Hall said. “We’ll see where she and Casey fit in.”

Hall, also the associate head indoor coach, said that all indoor players have an invitation to join the beach team, the only drawback being that the indoor players are committed to a five-week spring season that includes workouts and exhibition matches that conflict with beach practices and matches. “It’s hard losing your kids for five weeks of indoor training,” Hall said. “We are one of the only top programs in the country that allows their indoor players to do both.”

Hawaii, ranked as high as No. 1 last season, finished 18-3, with two of its losses coming at the national tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala. That disappointing fifth-place showing had the coaches rethinking this year’s schedule, with the solution being to add a non-West Coast preseason tournament for the first time.

Hawaii will travel to Deland, Fla., for Stetson’s Spring Break Tournament on March 25-26. Also in the field are UCLA, Florida International, Florida State, Florida Atlantic and the host Hatters.

“The travel (to Alabama for the nationals ) was something we struggled with, and this is an awesome opportunity to play some of the top teams in the East region,” Hall said. ‘It’s a long trip, but I think it will be worth it for the experience we’ll get.”

Hawaii will open on the road at Pepperdine’s Kickoff Tournament, which will feature the West Coast elite at historic Zuma Beach. The March 5-6 tournament features all of the the past national champions — Pepperdine (2012, ‘14), Long Beach State (2013) and USC (2015) — as well as UCLA.

Hawaii also has home contests at Queen’s Beach and the Ching Complex, and will face USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Loyola Marymount, Nebraska, Boise State, TCU and Hawaii Pacific. The BeachBows close the regular season with the inaugural Big West tournament at Huntington Beach on April 29-May 1.

“I’m stoked about the Big West tournament,” Hall said. “It gives us a chance to win a title before going to the national tournament. That it will be at Huntington Beach is a plus. It will give a lot of our players who are from the area a chance to play in front of family and friends, and give a lot of our recruits a chance to see us play.

“We’re excited about playing at Zuma for the first time. That tournament is packed with arguably the top five teams in the country. It should be a preview of the national championship. Our expectations are to go in and win. It will be a good gauge of where we’re at.”

Hawaii opens practice Jan. 19. Hall said that no pairs have been decided but that one logical choice would be to reunite Taylor and Spieler, who teamed at No. 2 in 2014 and advanced to the quarterfinal of the pairs championship. Last year, Taylor moved to No. 1, teaming with Brittany Tiegs, and made it to the quarterfinals of the pairs event. Spieler paired with Olivia Urban at No. 2, finishing with a team-best 30-10 record.

“We don’t know yet,” Hall said. “We’re going to be deep and we have a lot of exceptional players.”

Notes

Taylor is recuperating from minor right knee surgery for a nagging injury. … Hawaii’s indoor team will play Iowa State in a spring exhibition match in March. No date has been announced.

HAWAII BEACH VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

March 5-6: Pepperdine Kickoff Tournament: With Hawaii, Long Beach State, Pepperdine, UCLA and USC, Zuma Beach, Calif.

March 12: vs. TCU, Hawaii Pacific, TBA, Queen’s Beach

March 15: vs. USC, 3 p.m., Ching Complex

March 18-19: vs. LMU, USC, Nebraska, 8 a.m., Queen’s Beach

March 20: vs. Nebraska, 3 p.m., Ching Complex

March 25 -26: Stetson Spring Break Tournament: With Hawaii, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida State, Stetson and UCLA, TBA, Deland, Fla.

April 1: vs. UCLA, Arizona State, noon, Ching Complex

April 2: vs. UCLA, Arizona State, 9 a.m., Queen’s Beach

April 12: vs. Boise State, 5 p.m., Ching Complex

April 22-23: Aloha Invitational: with Hawaii, Grand Canyon, Louisiana-Monroe, Long Beach State, Florida International, Washington, TBA, Queen’s Beach.

April 29-May 1: Big West tournament, TBA, Huntington Beach, Calif.

May 5-8: NCAA national championship, TBA, Gulf Shores, Ala.