Cal Poly Beach Volleyball Ranked No. 4 in National Preseason Poll
2/13/2025 2:13:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Coming off its historic 2024 season, Cal Poly beach volleyball continued to make history Thursday by receiving its highest ever ranking in the AVCA Preseason Poll.
The Mustangs are ranked No. 4 in the first AVCA rankings of the season that were released Thursday. It is the highest the Mustangs have ever been ranked in the AVCA Preseason Poll, topping its previous high of No. 6 which they had been twice before.
Cal Poly is coming off a 2024 season in which they reached new heights the program had never seen before. The Mustangs reached the Semifinals of the NCAA Championship for the first time, received a year end ranking of No. 3 in the nation, the program’s highest ever ranking, and won 31 matches which was a program record.
The Mustangs return nine of 10 starters from last season, all nine of which earned All-Big West honors. They also bring back four players who were named AVCA All-Americans. Cal Poly also had the Big West Pair of the Year, Big West Freshman of the Year, assistant coach Angela Rock won the AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, and head coach Todd Rogers won Big West Coach of the Year.
The AVCA is excited to release the 2025 preseason National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Poll. Defending champ @USCBeach edges out @TCUBeachVB at No. 1, and they are followed by @uclabeachvb (3), @calpolybeach (4), and @StanfordBeachVB (5).https://t.co/jD2hinzkMW#WeAreAVCA pic.twitter.com/L73xLnYWwz
— AVCA (@AVCAVolleyball) February 13, 2025
The starters back include redshirt junior Ella Connor, junior Izzy Martinez, senior Piper Ferch, sophomore Erin Inskeep, sophomore Quinn Perry, grad student Lindsey Sparks, sophomore Logan Walter, senior Abbey Reinard, and senior Madi Nichols.
Connor and Martinez paired together last year to the tune of a 26-10 record while playing at the No. 1 spot in the lineup. They were named Big West Pair of the Year and both were named AVCA First Team All-Americans.
Ferch and Inskeep played together last year and broke the program record for wins by a pair in a season with a 30-5 record. They were both named AVCA Second Team All-Americans and Inskeep was named Big West Freshman of the Year.
Walter earned Second Team All-Big West honors last season after playing with now graduated Piper Naess. Together, they went 24-4 as a duo last year.
Sparks and Perry both earned Honorable Mention All-Big West honors in 2024 after they went 18-5 together last season. They also had wins over pairs from nine ranked teams.
Reinard and Nichols paired together last year at the No. 5 spot, going 16-12 and also earned Honorable Mention All-Big West honors. Nichols and Reinard helped Cal Poly make history last season as they were the match-clinching point in the Mustangs’ quarterfinal victory over Florida State at the NCAA Championship.
The Mustangs have added 10 new players, eight freshmen and two transfers. Three of those freshmen were AVCA Beach High School All-Americans: Elise Lenahan, Summer Witherby, and Haylee LaFontaine. Overall, the Mustangs have 22 returners and only lost one starter from last year.
Cal Poly will host its Black, Green, and Gold scrimmage Friday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex with fans getting their first chance to see the team play. The 2025 season begins Feb. 28 against No. 3 UCLA in Los Angeles at 12 p.m.
