NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship Preview, 5-4-16 - Articles

There are three teams from the West (USC, Pepperdine, and UCLA), three from the East (Florida State, Georgia State, and Stetson), and two that received at-large bids (Hawaii and Arizona). Top-seeded Florida State: If this was a horse race, Florida State would be Seabiscuit. The Seminoles lack the size and physicality of some teams, with only three players over 6-feet, but they are skilled and deep. Their 29-1 record is the best in the nation, with 3-2 wins over USC, UCLA, and Georgia State. The one blemish on their record is a 4-1 loss to Hawaii. Their serve-and-pass game could be the best in the nation. "We're really excited to face the top teams in the country.,” said coach Brooke Niles, whose head-to-head win over USC probably got her team the top seed. “Everyone is really good. The seeding has been back and forth all year, and we're excited to be seeded first. It means that people respect our program and the players on our team. We're ready to get started." Florida State has a mix of youth and experience. Senior Jace Pardon is one of the top defenders in the nation, while freshman Nikki Esposito has come up with critical wins. "They're grinders. They believe in each other, and want to play well for each other. They have a chip on their shoulder. They want to show everyone how good they can be,” Niles said. Florida State lacks the physical presence of the larger blockers of USC or Hawaii. This weekend's weather forecast currently calls...

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