ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s beach season.
The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team kicked off its third campaign on Monday, February 6, as it held the first practices of its third-ever season at Lucky 66 Bowl.
Despite blustery and chilly conditions for their first practice, the Lobos, under head coach Jeff Nelson and assistants Pauline Manser and Daniel Foo, finally got back into the sand in anticipation of building off of a spectacular 2016 season that saw New Mexico climb into the national rankings.
This first practice, which featured almost exclusively the Lobos’ beach-only players, opens about three weeks of practice before the beginning of the regular season.
The entire beach squad, including crossover players that are currently training indoors, will combine in the coming weeks as the team opens its season with a pair matches against Benedictine and Colorado Mesa in Arizona on March 2.
Last season, New Mexico rocketed into the national rankings in just its second season of sponsoring beach volleyball. The Lobos climbed as high as No. 12 in the DiG Magazine Poll last spring before finishing with a 17-9 record.
UNM returns eight of its letterwinners from last spring’s squad, including its top pairing, Ashley Kelsey & Cassie House. Also back is Lise Rugland, Julia Warren and the dynamic duo of Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto, which set the program record for pairs wins last season with a 23-3 record.
Jackie Baro and Carson Heilborn are also back for the Lobos, who bring in freshmen Lauren Twitty, Lyric Ellison and Emily Nenninger and Long Beach State transfer and Albuquerque native Carly Beddingfield.
New Mexico’s season begins with two weekends in Arizona before taking the program’s first trip to the east coast to participate in the Stetson Beach Invitational. After another trip to Arizona, the Lobos return home for some matches before taking part in the competitive Aloha Invitational hosted by Hawai’i in Kauai.
One final trip to Arizona precedes UNM’s final match of the season, a home contest vs. Air Force.
Fans can follow @UNMBeachVB on Twitter and Instagram to keep track of New Mexico.