BeachBows Ranked 10th In Preseason Poll

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2023 AVCA collegiate beach volleyball preseason poll was released Tuesday with the Rainbow Wahine slotted at No. 10. It marks the second straight year the BeachBows are ranked 10th entering the season.

UCLA is tabbed as the preseason favorite. The Bruins will visit Honolulu next week as it headlines the field of the season-opening Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic.

The Rainbow Wahine are coming off a 2022 season that saw UH return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year hiatus. UH finished 24-17 overall and ranked No. 13 in the final AVCA poll. UH returns more than a dozen players from that team, led by All-Americans Brooke Van Sickle and Kaylee Glagau. All-conference picks Ilihia Huddleston, Kylin Loker, Anna Maidment, Sofia Russo, Jaime Santer and Riley Wagoner also return.

UCLA, which went 34-9 and fell one win short of the NCAA title match, received 12 of 23 first-place votes. NCAA runner-up Florida State is No. 2, followed by TCU, defending national champs UCC and LSU to round out the top five. Big West squads Cal Poly (13) and Long Beach State (14) are also ranked just behind Hawai'i.

The BeachBows, led by second-year head coach Evan Silberstein, open the season with the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic, Feb. 23-25, at world-famous Queen's Beach. Joining UH and UCLA in the three-day tournament are No. 9 Stanford, Saint Mary's and Stephen F. Austin.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Loker: 6' 0"; Freshman

#13 Sofia Russo: 6' 0"; Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau: 6' 2"; Junior

#55 Ilihia Huddleston: 5' 11"; Junior

#6 Anna Maidment: 5' 11"; Junior

#1 Jaime Santer: 6' 0"; Junior

#2 Brooke Van Sickle: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#10 Riley Wagoner: 6' 0"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#5 Kylin Loker
: 6' 0"; Freshman

#13 Sofia Russo
: 6' 0"; Freshman

#7 Kaylee Glagau
: 6' 2"; Junior

#55 Ilihia Huddleston
: 5' 11"; Junior

#6 Anna Maidment
: 5' 11"; Junior

#1 Jaime Santer
: 6' 0"; Junior

#2 Brooke Van Sickle
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#10 Riley Wagoner
: 6' 0"; Junior