Collegiate Beach Bash: Meet the South Carolina Gamecocks
Collegiate Beach Bash: Meet the South Carolina Gamecocks
The South Carolina Gamecocks beach volleyball team will compete at the Collegiate Beach Bash on November 12, 2016.
The Collegiate Beach Bash is a fall exhibition college beach volleyball tournament hosted by RallyVB in Emerson, Georgia, and featuring six East Coast NCAA teams.
FloVolleyball will be live-streaming all the action from the LakePoint Sporting Community, beginning at 9 AM ET on Saturday, November 12.
Each day leading up to the first serve at LakePoint, we are profiling one of the teams that will participate in the Collegiate Beach Bash.
So far, we've brought you the lowdown on UNCW, Spring Hill, UAB, and LSU. Next up, the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks played their first official college beach volleyball match in 2014. While that first year was a struggle, and South Carolina finished with a 5-12 overall record, each of the following seasons has brought big improvements.
In 2015, South Carolina went 14-7. In 2016, its final record was 20-16. In their first season in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, the Gamecocks advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament where they lost to Florida State.
Since the season ended in May, the Gamecocks have welcomed a pair of American Volleyball Coaches Association High School Beach All-Americans: freshmen Katie Smith and Carly Schnieder. These two young players spent the summer playing on the beach together in UA Volleyball and AAU events, but they will compete with other teammates at the Collegiate Beach Bash on Saturday, November 12.
In 2016, Macie Tendrich and Katie Reilly set the school record for overall and dual records in a season, going 26-10. Reilly, a graduate student who played four years of indoor ball at Wichita State, is now Katie Zimmerman, and she will be testing out a new partnership with Smith at the Collegiate Beach Bash.
Head coach Moritz Moritz has been with the USC beach program since its creation, joining the South Carolina staff after stints with the indoor teams at Idaho and Colorado State.
The Pairs
1. Katie Zimmerman and Katie Smith
If this pair of Katies can develop good chemistry on the court, they could become a lethal team. Smith is a rising star with tons of potential, while Zimmerman brings the experience of a four-year indoor career and a full season of beach competition.
2. Julia Mannisto and Carly Schnieder
This No. 2 team takes one half of the 2016 top duo in Julia Mannisto and pairs her with high school All-American Carly Schnieder. At 5-foot-11 and 5-10, respectively, this duo should be a significant offensive threat and able to play big up at the net.
3. Adrianna Culbert and Macie Tendrich
Adrianna Culbert, an All-American right side and setter for Colorado State, will be making her beach volleyball debut at LakePoint. Her partner for the event, Macie Tendrich, had great success with Zimmerman at the No. 3 spot in the spring.
4. Shannon Williams and Ali Denney
Shannon Williams played alongside Mannisto during the spring, but on Saturday, she'll pair up with 5-6 freshman Ali Denny from Jupiter, Florida. A three-sport athlete at The Pine School, Denny will look to harness her athleticism for the beach game.
5. Caroline Skaff and Jade Vitt
Virginia-native Carolina Skaff was named to the JVA Beach Watch list in 2015 before coming to South Carolina this fall. The rookie will team up with senior Jade Vitt, who went 17-13 at the No. 4 spot during the 2016 season with Delaney Wood.
6. Franky Harrison and AJ Baumann
Freshman Knoxvillian Franky Harrison and sophomore AJ Baumann will be the No. 6 pair for South Carolina. Baumann saw limited playing time during her freshman season, playing only one match at the No. 5 spot with Katie Cross.
7. Delaney Wood and Lauren Percy
Wood, a sophomore, played well with Vitt during the 2016 season, but her task in Georgia will be to test the water with fellow sophomore Lauren Percy of Charleston, South Carolina.
8. Erin Neuenfeldt and Helen Recaborde
Erin Neuenfeldt of Birmingham, Michigan, spent much of her junior season competing at the No. 5 spot, where she accumulated a record of 11-18. This weekend, she'll pair with 5-10 fellow senior Helen Recaborde of Atlanta, Georgia.
9. Hannah Edelman and Sarah Nacouzi
Hannah Edelman, a freshman from Hilton Head, South Carolina, will make her collegiate debut with fellow frosh Sarah Nacouzi of Raleigh, North Carolina.
10. Abby Feruck and Jordan Wilson-Talmadge
Abby Feruck played two seasons of indoor volleyball at South Carolina before becoming a full-time beach player. She and Jordan Wilson-Talmadge, a 5-7 senior from Florida, paired up for the 2016 Fiesta on Siesta Key tournament and will play together once again at the Collegiate Beach Bash.
On TV: Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4
STREAMING: Available only on FloVolleyball: $20 monthly or $150 yearly. Yearly FloPRO access is to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE.
Collegiate Beach Bash: Watch LIVE!
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FloVolleyball will be live-streaming all the action from the LakePoint Sporting Community, beginning at 9 AM ET on Saturday, November 12.
Each day leading up to the first serve at LakePoint, we are profiling one of the teams that will participate in the Collegiate Beach Bash.
So far, we've brought you the lowdown on UNCW, Spring Hill, UAB, and LSU. Next up, the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks played their first official college beach volleyball match in 2014. While that first year was a struggle, and South Carolina finished with a 5-12 overall record, each of the following seasons has brought big improvements.
In 2015, South Carolina went 14-7. In 2016, its final record was 20-16. In their first season in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, the Gamecocks advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament where they lost to Florida State.
Since the season ended in May, the Gamecocks have welcomed a pair of American Volleyball Coaches Association High School Beach All-Americans: freshmen Katie Smith and Carly Schnieder. These two young players spent the summer playing on the beach together in UA Volleyball and AAU events, but they will compete with other teammates at the Collegiate Beach Bash on Saturday, November 12.
In 2016, Macie Tendrich and Katie Reilly set the school record for overall and dual records in a season, going 26-10. Reilly, a graduate student who played four years of indoor ball at Wichita State, is now Katie Zimmerman, and she will be testing out a new partnership with Smith at the Collegiate Beach Bash.
Head coach Moritz Moritz has been with the USC beach program since its creation, joining the South Carolina staff after stints with the indoor teams at Idaho and Colorado State.
The Pairs
1. Katie Zimmerman and Katie Smith
If this pair of Katies can develop good chemistry on the court, they could become a lethal team. Smith is a rising star with tons of potential, while Zimmerman brings the experience of a four-year indoor career and a full season of beach competition.
2. Julia Mannisto and Carly Schnieder
This No. 2 team takes one half of the 2016 top duo in Julia Mannisto and pairs her with high school All-American Carly Schnieder. At 5-foot-11 and 5-10, respectively, this duo should be a significant offensive threat and able to play big up at the net.
3. Adrianna Culbert and Macie Tendrich
Adrianna Culbert, an All-American right side and setter for Colorado State, will be making her beach volleyball debut at LakePoint. Her partner for the event, Macie Tendrich, had great success with Zimmerman at the No. 3 spot in the spring.
4. Shannon Williams and Ali Denney
Shannon Williams played alongside Mannisto during the spring, but on Saturday, she'll pair up with 5-6 freshman Ali Denny from Jupiter, Florida. A three-sport athlete at The Pine School, Denny will look to harness her athleticism for the beach game.
5. Caroline Skaff and Jade Vitt
Virginia-native Carolina Skaff was named to the JVA Beach Watch list in 2015 before coming to South Carolina this fall. The rookie will team up with senior Jade Vitt, who went 17-13 at the No. 4 spot during the 2016 season with Delaney Wood.
6. Franky Harrison and AJ Baumann
Freshman Knoxvillian Franky Harrison and sophomore AJ Baumann will be the No. 6 pair for South Carolina. Baumann saw limited playing time during her freshman season, playing only one match at the No. 5 spot with Katie Cross.
7. Delaney Wood and Lauren Percy
Wood, a sophomore, played well with Vitt during the 2016 season, but her task in Georgia will be to test the water with fellow sophomore Lauren Percy of Charleston, South Carolina.
8. Erin Neuenfeldt and Helen Recaborde
Erin Neuenfeldt of Birmingham, Michigan, spent much of her junior season competing at the No. 5 spot, where she accumulated a record of 11-18. This weekend, she'll pair with 5-10 fellow senior Helen Recaborde of Atlanta, Georgia.
9. Hannah Edelman and Sarah Nacouzi
Hannah Edelman, a freshman from Hilton Head, South Carolina, will make her collegiate debut with fellow frosh Sarah Nacouzi of Raleigh, North Carolina.
10. Abby Feruck and Jordan Wilson-Talmadge
Abby Feruck played two seasons of indoor volleyball at South Carolina before becoming a full-time beach player. She and Jordan Wilson-Talmadge, a 5-7 senior from Florida, paired up for the 2016 Fiesta on Siesta Key tournament and will play together once again at the Collegiate Beach Bash.
USC Beach Volleyball Roster
| No. | Name | Ht. | Yr. | Hometown (High School) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aubrey Ezell | 5-8 | SO | Granbury, Texas (Granbury) |
| 2 | Shannon Williams | 5-10 | SO | Ashburn, Va. (Stone Bridge) |
| 3 | Julia Mannisto | 5-11 | JR | Westlake Village, Calif. (Westlake) |
| 4 | Caroline Skaff | 5-11 | FR | Haymarket, Va. (Battlefield) |
| 5 | Delaney Wood | 6-0 | SO | Westlake, Texas (Westlake Academy) |
| 10 | Macie Tendrich | 5-3 | JR | Boynton Beach, Fla. (Saint Andrews) |
| 11 | Jade Vitt | 5-7 | SR | San Diego, Calif. (La Costa Canyon) |
| 12 | Lauren Percy | 5-9 | SO | Charleston, S.C. (Ashley Hall) |
| 13 | Adrianna Culbert | 5-10 | GS | Delton, Mich. (Delton-Kellogg) |
| 14 | AJ Baumann | 5-7 | SO | Roswell, Ga. (Fellowship Christian) |
| 15 | Katie Zimmerman | 6-0 | GS | Cypress, Texas (Concordia Lutheran) |
| 20 | Erin Neuenfeldt | 5-10 | SR | Birmingham, Mich. (Seaholm) |
| 21 | Sarah Nacouzi | 5-10 | FR | Raleigh, N.C. (Cardinal Gibbons) |
| 23 | Carly Schnieder | 5-10 | FR | Cincinnati, Ohio (Mother of Mercy) |
| 24 | Katie McCormick | 5-10 | SR | Simpsonville, S.C. (St. Joseph's Catholic) |
| 25 | Jordan Wilson-Talmadge | 5-7 | SR | Orlando, Fla. (First Academy) |
| 30 | Ali Denney | 5-6 | FR | Jupiter, Fla. (The Pine School) |
| 32 | Helen Recaborde | 5-10 | SR | Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta International) |
| 33 | Franky Harrison | 5-10 | FR | Knoxville, Tenn. (Webb School) |
| 34 | Hannah Sorensen | 6-0 | GS | Wilmington, N.C. (Dixon) |
| 41 | Abby Feruck | 6-0 | SR | Atlanta, Ga. (Blessed Trinity) |
| 42 | Emma Lock | 5-9 | SO | Lee's Summit, Mo. (Lee's Summit) |
| 44 | Hannah Edelman | 5-5 | FR | Hilton Head Island, S.C. (Hilton Head Island) |
| 50 | Katie Smith | 5-9 | FR | West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West) |
How to Watch
COLLEGIATE BEACH BASHOn TV: Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4
STREAMING: Available only on FloVolleyball: $20 monthly or $150 yearly. Yearly FloPRO access is to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE.
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