New Mexico sand volleyball is still over a month away from the first-ever match in program history.
But the anticipation is right here, right now.
“Everyone is really excited about it because it is the first year,” senior Ashley Newman said. “We’re also super stoked about the fact that we’re one of the few schools who has the opportunity to have this program.”
UNM sand volleyball officially kicks off its inaugural season on Feb. 9 with the first practice, and there’s building anticipation and excitement within the team about starting a new program and the first season of competition.
 |
|
| Ashley Newman |
As one of about 50 Division I schools to sponsor sand volleyball in 2015, the Lobos, under head coach Jeff Nelson, are primed to start New Mexico’s newest intercollegiate sport in the right way.
“It’s kind of like we’re leaving a legacy because we’re the first people, it’s the inaugural year,” freshman Eastyn Baleto said. “People will say, ‘That was the first sand team at UNM,’ so I think that’s pretty cool.”
Between now and the Lobos’ first competition of the season on March 8 at Grand Canyon in Phoenix, New Mexico has a lot to do to start leaving a legacy.
Nelson still has to determine the partners for the season, and the Lobos still have to get in the sand to start practicing and gain experience.
Eight of the players on UNM’s 13-player roster are transitioning from court volleyball to sand volleyball, including Newman. Baleto, who did play court volleyball for the Lobos in the fall but was recruited for sand volleyball, leads a youthful group of players that has experience in the sand.
“I think the girls who haven’t played sand before will be able to adjust just based on the really good coaching,” Baleto said. “Sand volleyball is different, but it’s not that different. It’s just mainly about ball control.”
And while the fundamentals of both versions of volleyball are largely similar, the Lobos still have to continuing acclimate to the different conditions.
“It really is a lot different,” Newman said. “it’s so much harder to run in sand. I don’t think people understand that. It’s so much harder to jump in sand. You get tired so much more quickly.”
But, the relative lack of experience isn’t fazing the Lobos.
 |
|
| Eastyn Baleto |
“I think we’ll compete because I think all the girls that are on the team are good athletes and good volleyball players,” Baleto said. “And even if some of them haven’t played sand, they’ll catch on because they’re good players.”
Once everyone gets their feet wet, so to speak, Nelson and his staff will pair the players off into the doubles that will form the basis of the team during the season.
Similar in format to tennis, sand volleyball consists of a doubles — a pair of teammates ranked by ability — that are matched against their corresponding doubles from the opposing team during competition.
And while the players don’t know whom they’ll be playing with this season, they’re still excited.
“It’s different getting used to only playing with one other person because you have to cover a lot more area and communicate a lot more,” Newman said. “But I really love it. I think it’s an awesome change and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Lobos are also looking forward to playing and ushering in the first year of sand volleyball.
UNM will play at least eight dates during the first season, starting March 8 in Phoenix and March 21 at home against Grand Canyon. Matches against Arizona and Arizona State are also on the schedule, which means multiple trips to Arizona.
“I’m excited for the tournaments that we’re going to, to travel with the team [and] to go to Arizona — that’s mainly where we’re travelling — because it’s super sunny,” Baleto said. “I think we’re all excited, mainly for the travel.”
Newman echoed the sentiment, adding, “it’s going to be a little bit more fun and laid back” than court volleyball.
Travel or not, the atmosphere of excitement is all around the team. Between starting a new sport, the travel and the new experiences associated with sand volleyball, there’s a lot to be excited about.
“I just hope we come out with a bang this season and that we compete really well,” Baleto said. “… I think this season is going to go really well, personally.”
And for a team that’s yet to even start practicing, it’s pretty exciting.