EL PASO - The UTEP Beach Volleyball squad is ready to hit the sandy courts for their much-anticipated second season, kicking off with the Cactus Classic at Bear Down Beach in Tucson, Arizona on February 23-24. 

 SCHEDULE   
The Miners open the weekend with two matches on Friday, starting with Colorado Mesa followed by San Francisco. On Saturday, the Miners go up against Arizona and close out the weekend with CSU Bakersfield. Fans can follow along through live stats for each match. 

Friday, Feb. 23 
10am vs. Colorado Mesa 
4pm vs. San Francisco 

Saturday, Feb. 24 
10am at Arizona 
1pm vs. CSU Bakersfield 
^All Times Mountain 

 THE INAUGURAL SEASON  
In their inaugural season, the UTEP Miners made a lasting impression with a commendable four wins. The CSU Bakersfield Tournament marked a historic moment as UTEP earned its first point against CUI (1-4) and secured its first victory the following day against The Master's (4-1). The momentum continued with a triumph over Southeastern Louisiana (3-2). The Miners carried their winning spirit to the Mardi Gras Classic, claiming victory against Nicholls (4-1) and showcasing resilience with dual wins against New Orleans (1-4) and Spring Hill College (1-4). At the Wildcat Spring Challenge, UTEP emerged victorious against Missouri State (3-2) and clinched dual wins against Colorado Mesa (1-4) and nationally ranked Arizona (1-4). The TCU Invitational added another feather to their cap as the Miners secured a dual win against Houston Christian (1-4). UTEP is poised to build on this success and continue making strides on the beach volleyball scene. 

 THE SQUAD  
Returners 
The 2024 UTEP Beach Volleyball team is anchored by a group of seasoned and determined returning players, each bringing their unique strengths to the sandy courts. The beach-only players include Krista Paegle, Katie Martin, and Paulina Acuna, who are set to continue their impressive performances from the previous season. Adding to the team's depth are four crossover players making their return to the sand. Madison Hill and Marian Ovalle, the standout pair with the most wins last season, are poised to build on their success. The Serbian duo of Ema Uskokovic and Sara Pustahija also rejoin the squad; Uskokovic, after sitting out the 2023 indoor season, is ready to compete on the beach, while unfortunately, Pustahija will redshirt this season due to a season-ending injury suffered during the 2023 indoor season. Despite the challenges, these returning players bring a wealth of experience, skill, and determination to elevate the UTEP Beach Volleyball team to new heights in the upcoming season. 

Newbies 
The 2024 team is set to make waves with an infusion of new talent, featuring a dynamic roster of both experienced transfers and promising freshmen. Joining the squad are three skilled transfers: Summer McDonough, hailing from the University of Arizona; Katie Call, a transfer from San Diego Christian College; and Alexis Massey, arriving from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The Miners also welcome three talented freshmen to the lineup: Adriana Oporto, a standout player from Madrid, Spain; Sophia Sheppard, representing Tacoma, Washington; and Mila, hailing from St. John, Indiana. Together, these new faces promise to contribute to an exciting and competitive season ahead.

 SEASON TWO   
The 2024 season presents a challenging and competitive landscape for the Miners as they gear up to face nine opponents either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll. Amongst these formidable challenges, UTEP's immediate focus is on the Cactus Classic, where they are set to confront Arizona, a team that secured 24 votes in the preseason rankings. 

 THE CACTUS CLASSIC MATCHUPS  
Colorado Mesa 

• The 2023 season was a very successful one for the Mavs, who ended up second at the AVCA Small College Beach Championships in Tavares, Florida.  The Mavs went 5-1 at that tournament, falling only to champion Tampa in the tournament final, and capped their overall season with a 19-8 overall record, the best in program history. The 19 wins were three more than in 2022, when the Mavs won the NCAA Division II title at the AVCA event, capping a 16-10 season. 

San Francisco 

• The Dons went 3-26 a year ago, going 2-2 at the WCC Championships to cap the year.  Their wins at the conference tournament came over Pacific and Portland.  The Dons also defeated the Pacific Tigers during the regular season. 

RV Arizona 

• Arizona ended the 2023 season 21-12. The 21 wins are the third-most in a season for the Sand Cats and the fourth time in the last five seasons that the Wildcats have reached 20 wins in a season. 

CSU Bakersfield 

• The Roadrunners are coming off a 16-10 season, which ended with two losses in the Big West Championship.  The 16 team wins were a new school-record. They will enter 2024 with a new head coach in Andy Fulenwider. Now sophomore Isabella Almeida returns after earning First Team All-Big West years last year with then fifth-year senior Hayley McCluskey at No. 3. 

Get to Know the Game  
A best-of-three match is two sets to 21 points with a 15-point third set if needed, and all sets are rally-scoring. The teams switch ends throughout the sets so each combat with the elements evenly.  Each school divides its roster into five teams of two players each (10 total players will compete for each school in a match). Each program also maintains a sixth pairing that competes in a non-scoring match at most tournaments as they fight to earn a spot among one of the five scoring teams. The match is a best-of-five, so a team needs at least three pair wins to be victorious. 

Give a gift to UTEP Beach Volleyball by donating to the Point Miners Club.             

For complete coverage of UTEP Beach Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at UTEP Beach Volleyball (Facebook), @utepbeachvb (Instagram) and @UTEPBeachVB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.