Heading into the first-ever season of sand volleyball at New Mexico, head coach Jeff Nelson didn’t have many expectations.
“We didn’t go into the season looking for wins,” Nelson said. “We went into it trying to figure the whole thing out.”
One year in, and the Lobos are on their way to building a program from the sand up.
The inaugural season of New Mexico sand volleyball ended up as an exemplary debut campaign as the Lobos laid the foundation for a competitive program during a season that saw a youthful roster mature into a seasoned squad.
The Lobos, under Nelson and assistant coaches Lisa Beauchene and Daniel Foo, improved during their first-ever season and battled through an exceptionally difficult schedule with an eye on spearheading the continuing growth of the sport in the NCAA.
“I thought I was a lot of fun, a great learning experience, and I thought we competed really well,” Nelson said. “And, most importantly, I think it gives us a great handle on the future and where we need to go to be successful.”
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| Jeff Nelson |
As the sport continues to grow nationally — over 50 teams sponsored the sport in 2015, with the number expected to rise to about 90 next year — New Mexico aimed to make a name for itself as it started the university’s 22nd intercollegiate sport.
And, considering the matches they played against the teams they faced, the Lobos did.
Throught the inaugural season, New Mexico played 11 matches against teams that were ranked in the national polls at one point during the season, including top-ranked and national champion USC.
It was a schedule from which few experience teams would emerge unscathed, but the Lobos took it on and gained valuable experience.
“Certainly our scheduling won’t be as brutal in the future as it was this year, but for this year, it was what we needed to do,” Nelson said. “I think overall, it worked out.”
The Lobos, who finished 3-11, captured points in all but three of their matches, and took courts against USC, top-10 Arizona and top-20 Grand Canyon.
UNM also capped off the season with a pair of sweeps against Colorado State, punctuating a season that saw the development of a number of players.
“I think the players did a really good job,” Nelson said. “When I met with all of the players at the end of the season, the general consensus was that they really enjoyed it.”
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| Eastyn Baleto |
The tandem that enjoyed victory the most was freshman Eastyn Baleto and sophomore Julia Warren, who finished the season as the team’s winningest duo. They compiled an 8-6 pairs record, and captured the lone point against USC, a standout match in Nelson’s eyes.
The duo, which played the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 doubles, shined throughout the season, starting off with a five-match win streak. They were one of the most consistent pairs in 2015, and both return for 2016.
However, they weren’t the only duo to have an superlative season.
Ashley Newman, the team captain and the Lobos’ lone senior, teamed up with sophomore Lise Rugland to post a strong finish to the campaign.
Although the pair started off struggling, Newman and Rugland emerged as a veritable threat for the Lobos on the fourth court. They finished winning five of their last six matches to finish 6-8 overall, and helped break New Mexico’s midseason 10-match losing streak.
“The last day of the season for Lise and Ashley Newman really stood out,” Nelson said. “with their confidence and the way they tore through it. And seeing that confidence come through with them was really great.”
Redshirt freshman Ashley Kelsey and redshirt junior Hannah Johnson also closed out the season with a flourish, as did sophomore Devanne Sours and freshman Chloe Crappell.
Those four originally swapped pairs (Kelsey with Sours and Johnson with Crappell), before changing up two weeks in.
That changed paid dividends in the end, as Sours and Crappell finished 3-7 and Kelsey and Johnson 2-8.
Both those tandems, however, often played their opponent’s top teams, with Sours and Crappell playing largely court three and Kelsey and Johnson taking on the top court.
For Kelsey and Johnson, this debut season was a trial, facing a number of opponents that made the national championships. But, despite that, they matured during the season.
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| Ashley Newman |
“They battled hard at the top spots,” Nelson said of Kelsey and Johnson. “They really got thrown to the wolves, playing in the top spots in the first year against teams who have had programs for two or three years. But they battled great.”
The fives position was one of the least settled during the season with five different Lobos seeing time on that court.
Maddie Mayfield got the most action, playing with Jackie Baro, Sami Reynolds, Sara Weber and Taylor Cross. Combined, the No. 5 court produced three wins — all in the three team wins — but gave some of the youngest Lobos a change to get action.
“A lot of them got beat a lot, and to come out of it wanting more and have enjoyed it, that’s always exciting,” Nelson
But the excitement extends beyond there.
With a roster that now has a year of experience (against top-notch competition, no less), the Lobos are bubbling with potential for 2016.
New Mexico returns everyone except Newman, and adds Marisa Doran, a top junior college player, and Cassie House, an indoor player who was sidelined with an injury.
Both will add some height and depth to the team, and will give the Lobos more opportunities to win in the future.
“I expect us to keep better next year,” Nelson said. “I expect us to win a few more matches. I think we have some kids who can get up and compete to get into the individual postseason in the next couple of years.”
But for now, Nelson and his staff is just glad the groundwork has been laid.
Although the Lobos didn’t pick up as many victories as perhaps was hoped, the players came together and grew as a team. And with year one in the books, year two portends more steps toward the goal of building a program.
“In sports you’re measured by record,” Nelson said, “but when you’re a new program, you shouldn’t be. We should be looking at where we’re going, and I definitely think we’re going the right direction.”