TAVARES, Fla. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor beach volleyball team won the American Volleyball Coaches Association Small College Beach Division III Championship Sunday in Tavares. The Cru earned wins over East Texas Baptist University and Berry College to seal the program's first championship.
UMHB earned wins at Lines 3, 4 and 5 to beat ETBU Sunday morning and advance to the championship match.
Aliana Rojas and
Julianna Green opened the championship match with a win at Line 1, followed by
Kendall Harrington and Grace Nichols with a win at Line 2. UMHB's Line 5 of
Ashley Salas and
Kelli Northup also won their match, sealing the 3-1 victory for the Cru and championship win.
"For our program to go undefeated for the season against Division III and NAIA programs with wins over DI and DII programs that finished fifth at nationals has been unreal," Head Coach
Mark Pryor said. "This weekend was just a statement of what playing hard, being a great teammate and just being selfless can actually accomplish."
Pryor added: "This championship is due to a few groups. Our student athletes who bought in fully to how we wanted to play this season and how we were going to prepare. Our strength and conditioning staff and Coach
Ben Sims for doing an unreal job of preparing the team to be able to play with quickness, agility and endurance. And our administrators, who support the creation and growth of this program. Coaches wins games but administration wins championships. This was a group effort and I'm really happy these student athletes are able to represent UMHB in the positive way they do."
UMHB played in its inaugural season in 2022, making its first appearance in the AVCA tournament last season with a win in the program's third season of existence.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 3, East Texas Baptist University 1
1. Callie Humphrey/Bella Sigala (ETBU) def.
Aliana Rojas/
Julianna Green (UMHB) 21-18, 21-13
2.
Kendall Harrington/
Gracie Nichols (UMHB) played Shelbee Adkins/Madison McDonald (ETBU) 18-21, 19-10, Did Not Finish
3.
Mindy Conger/
Saige De La Fuente (UMHB) def. Nadia Brockway/Mona Salgado (ETBU) 21-11, 21-12
4.
Faith Clark/
Heidi Farrar (UMHB) def. Bailee Kitchen/Hannah Perry (ETBU) 21-16, 21-14
5.
Ashley Salas/
Kelli Northup (UMHB) def. Peyton Fredrick/Kyleigh Pate (ETBU) 21-13, 21-9
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 3, Berry College 1
1.
Aliana Rojas/
Julianna Green (UMHB) def. Rebecca Blaydes/Kaylee Howell (BC) 21-13, 21-14
2.
Kendall Harrington/
Gracie Nichols (UMHB) def. Kat Kelyman/Grace Mau (BC) 25-23, 21-16
3. Kara Schmit/Lilly Teagle (BC) def.
Mindy Conger/
Saige De La Fuente (UMHB) 21-10, 21-16
4.
Faith Clark/
Heidi Farrar (UMHB) played Bella Boston/Keira Kurk (BC) 21-17, 18-21, Did Not Finish
5.
Ashley Salas/
Kelli Northup (UMHB) def. Andrea Hurt/Olivia Mallow (BC) 21-13, 21-15
