LBSU Beach Volleyball Ranked 16th in AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll

LBSU Beach Volleyball Ranked 16th in AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll

1/27/2021 2:47:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

The Beach finished the 2020 season with a No. 16 ranking as well

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Long Beach State beach volleyball team has been ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll which was released Wednesday afternoon.

LSU was picked as the preseason poll favorite as the Tigers garnered 12 first-place votes. Coming in behind LSU was UCLA with two first-place votes. Florida State, USC, and Hawaii rounded out the top five of the AVCA Preseason Poll, respectively.

The Beach were one of three Big West programs to be chosen in the top 20. Long Beach State came in behind No. 5 Hawaii and No. 6 Cal Poly.

Long Beach State finished the shortened 2020 season with a No. 16 national ranking after going 5-4 on the year. The Beach's biggest win during the 2020 season came at then No. 9 Pepperdine (3-2) on March 7.

This season, the Beach returns their No. 1 pair of Mari Molina, who was a 2019 All-Big West First Team selection, and Tyler Spriggs, as well as 2019 All-Big West First Team honoree Nicci Reinking, who played with Madison Smeathers at No. 2 and No. 3 last season. The duo of Katie Kennedy and Sydney Stevens, who competed at No. 2 and No. 3 a year ago, will also return to the court for Long Beach State.

The 2021 LBSU Beach Volleyball schedule is still to be determined and will be forthcoming.

AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll
1. LSU (12)
2. UCLA (2)
3. Florida State
4. USC (2)
5. Hawaii
6. Cal Poly
7. Grand Canyon
8. Loyola Marymount
9. California
10. Pepperdine
11. Stetson
12. Florida Atlantic
13. Florida International
14. South Carolina
15. TCU
16. Long Beach State
17. Arizona
18. Georgia State
19. Stanford
20. Arizona State

Others Receiving Votes: Tulane, Coastal Carolina, North Florida.