SARASOTA – Four Florida teams won their respective pools Saturday during the second annual Southeastern Conference Coaches Beach Volleyball Championship that was part of the Fiesta on Siesta Key weekend event.
Each of the 11 schools that play volleyball in the SEC (Vanderbilt does not) sent at least one two-woman team to the event and several other schools from other conferences competed in the Collegiate Beach Volleyball Challenge. Beach volleyball has become so popular in the last four years that representatives from NCAA Division I and II schools will vote later this month on a proposal to add Sand Volleyball to the emerging sports list for women.
“Today was a great day for beach volleyball,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “It was great to see how much better the play around the SEC has gotten this year. It was a great experience for everyone involved.”
Ten Gators participated in the event. Junior libero Elyse Cusack and redshirt freshman outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel finished second overall in the Gold Division.
The teams of Kelly Murphy and Colleen Ward, Betsy Smith and Cindy Bathelt and Lauren Bledsoe and Erin Fleming all won their pools during the pool-play round.