Cuesta Athletics was a few decades early to the Beach Volleyball craze, when the Cougars built a four-court Beach Volleyball facility in the mid-90s.  After the long wait for an official team, the facility was not up to competition standards when Cuesta Athletics announced the addition of Beach Volleyball last Winter, so the Cougars spent their first campaign on the road.  This Friday (12/2 PM), the Sand-Spikers shall finally christen their home dunes with a doubleheader against Hartnell College.  The Panthers beat the Cougars in the program's first "home match", held at nearby Cal Poly on February 2nd, but the Sand-Cats finally get to play where they practice.  Hartnell went on to reach the 2024 CCCAA Playoffs but were knocked out of title contention by eventual State Runner-up Fresno City.

The Cougars have a dozen players signed up to play in the sand, including returning all-Western State Conference Second Team selections Bailey Woodside and Madelyn Freeman (pict).  Woodside, who was last season's inaugural Team MVP, paired with Freeman for only seven matches last Spring.  The duo is also fresh off earning all-WSC First Team honors for indoor last fall.  Woodside, who is chasing her fourth Team MVP honor at Cuesta, spent all last year as a member of the Cougars' #1 pair, while Freeman had to climb the ladder.  She began the year at #3 with teammate Amelie Lo Jocano, who is also back on the beach, after leading the Cougars with seven wins last season.  LoJocano was 7-13 overall, including a 4-5 mark with Olivia Sprouse.  The Cougars also return veteran Alexis Waltz and add newcomer Cayley Brown, who both earned all-WSC honors on the hardwood during the fall.