MONROE, La. – A record-setting pair returns along with several other familiar faces as the ULM beach volleyball team opens the 2022 season Friday at the Houston Baptist Invitational.
A handful of new faces join the squad and after one season in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, ULM beach volleyball joins Conference USA as an affiliate member for 2022. The team also has a new head coach in
Michael Hobson.
"This season marks the inaugural beach season with C-USA," ULM Director of Volleyball
Charlie Olson said. "It gives us an opportunity to be compared with more teams who are more in-line with our overall makeup, and not be diluted by our former CCSA conference members. Our conference is strong and we are excited to have an opportunity to send a member to the newly expanded 16-team National Championship."
Senior
Audrey Brooks and junior
Julia Blazek return after teaming up for a school-record 21 wins in 2021. The duo were the first to record 20-or-more wins in ULM history and earned 15 of their 21 victories in two sets. Three of their three-set wins came by rebounding from an opening set loss to win the final two sets. Brooks and Blazek also picked up the lone point for ULM in a CCSA tournament match with a 14-21, 21-19, 15-13 win against FIU's Roberta Ribeiro and Federica Frasca.
Senior
Kayla Gallant returns for her fifth season at ULM. She paired with junior Abbie Elder last season for the second-most wins in program history at 20, trailing behind only Brooks and Blazek. Nine of the wins for Gallant and Elder came as the No. 3 pair and 16 victories were of the two-set fashion. Gallant was also part of a win at the CCSA Tournament against Southern Miss, helping top USM's Hallie Phelan and Haley Hop 21-23, 21-17, 15-10.
Olson said Gallant will partner with graduate transfer
Rylin Adams, an All-Region indoor volleyball player at Weber State.
Elder also returns for ULM, along with senior
Elizabeth Moreland, junior
Brooke Hoven and sophomores
Abbey Bufkin,
Kaitlyn Nowak and
Avery Reynolds.
The newcomer group also includes Indiana State indoor volleyball transfer and junior
Madeline Williams, Feather River College transfer and sophomore
Madison Gray and freshmen
Tamsie Black and
Delaney Evans.
The Warhawks begin the season on Friday at the Houston Baptist tournament, facing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 9 a.m. and New Orleans at 1 p.m. On Saturday, the Warhawks face Southeastern at 10 a.m. and Houston Baptist at 5 p.m.
"We open this spring season at HBU and couldn't be more excited to get our toes back in the sand," Olson said. "We move into this season without Kayla Armer, former Associate Head Beach Coach. She was vital to our growth these past two seasons. This past week, we've added Coach
Michael Hobson to our staff, and I couldn't be more excited. He will bring an analytical insight and fresh new ideas to the team. I have been tasked to train this season, but the team makes it so worthwhile. This is the hardest working group of individuals I have ever been around. I can't be more proud to be affiliated with such an amazing group of student athletes. We have set huge goals and massive aspirations. This season will be one to remember."
