The campus’ newly constructed beach volleyball facility was completed during the summer semester and interest peaked among campus athletes, high school teams and club programs in the Greater Sacramento area, said Brandon Merritt, the Hawks’ athletic coordinator.
The Hawks played home games for their inaugural season last spring at the Sacramento Softball Complex, nearly 20 miles from campus. They hosted a late night grand opening event for the facility during summer break with attendees of all ages and genders from across Sacramento.
“We had a bunch of people come and everyone had teams, and could create their own teams and then play against each other,” said sophomore middle blocker Jillian Bosanek. “We also met some of the incoming freshmen who came to that tournament to play.”
Sophomore setter Nicole Risch said the team will most likely take some time off after the indoor season and get out to the facility to get used to the sand.
“I think last season, a lot of us were new to beach, so it was kind of hard going into it,” Risch said. “But I think that going into this season, maybe getting a couple of reps, going in a couple of days a week, getting those reps. I think that will help us a lot.”
Merritt said he has seen the women’s basketball team out on the sand conditioning and has heard of a few other campus teams looking to use the space.
“The sand is way different than what we’re used to, compared to the last place we were practicing at,” Bosanek said. “It sinks a little bit more, so it was hard to adjust to that. You sink into it.”
Risch said she coaches volleyball during club season and her players frequently bring up the facility, expressing their excitement to play at CRC, either at camps or clubs. She said local volleyball teams are excited for events to take place and the public’s reaction is a big deal.
“A lot of people have been talking about our new facility,” Bosanek said. “I know that the majority of our beach games are going to be here because our facility is so nice and people rave about it because it’s nice and new.”