Head coach Kim Lester described this year's beach volleyball season as one unlike any she has experienced before. Between injuries, illnesses, and personal challenges away from the court, the team faced constant adversity throughout the season.
Despite those obstacles, the squad continued to respond and ultimately earned another appearance at the state championships.
Lester said the expectation every year is the same, and that's win conference and make a deep run at the state playoffs. They didn't fully get where they wanted, but she said she couldn't be more proud of how the group handled everything thrown at them.
The team finished the year with an impressive 18-7 overall record and a 9-3 mark in conference play, good for second place behind undefeated MiraCosta College.
"What stood out to me most was how tough this group was," Lester said. "The pairs that needed to step up did it, even when things weren't easy, and they gave everything they had for the team."
Lester said people usually focus on the top pairs, but the players in the No. 6 through No. 8 spots are just as important because they always have to be ready to jump into the lineup at any moment. Because of that, everybody has to practice like they're playing the next day.
"That says a lot about the culture we've built," Lester said. "You need depth if you want to survive a season, and honestly, our depth kept us going this year."
Bella Town and Trina Nguyen continued to be two of the program's most dependable athletes over the last two seasons. Lester praises the pair with playing a major role in helping the team capture a PCAC Championship and the 2025 state title. This season, they helped lead the team to its fourth straight appearance at the 3C2A Beach Championships and also qualified for State Pairs.
Lester also highlighted both players for the way they carried themselves off the court. "They do things the right way," Lester said. "They lead by example, they show up, and they've just been great to coach." Town and Nguyen also have the highest GPA's on the team.
Lily Rosales and Jovie Harmon were also pivotal this season while competing as the No. 5 pair. They went 14-4 and came through in a lot of important matches.
Charlotte Underwood, Sneha Lele, and Ruby Ennis all took major steps forward during the season too. After Hannah Hetrick suffered a season-ending injury, Sneha stepped into the No. 4 lineup alongside Ruby and delivered. Their play in regionals helped send the team back to state, where they kept competing at a high level.
Lester said watching those players grow into bigger roles ended up being one of the best parts of the season.
As the year comes to a close, the program now prepares to say goodbye to 11 sophomores who will move on both academically and athletically. Lester says that replacing not only the talent, but also the leadership of players such as Layla, Trina, Bella, Hannah, and Eva will not be easy.
"They were not just leaders," Lester said. "They helped build and strengthen the culture of this program."
Even with a big sophomore class leaving, Lester doesn't see next year as a rebuild. Players like Lily, Jovie, Charlotte, Sneha, Paisley Stednitz, and Ella Currie got a lot of experience this season and are expected to take over bigger leadership roles moving forward.
Lester said those returners learned from some of the best players in the state and should be ready right away next season. She also expects another solid recruiting class coming in with a lot of experienced beach players.
As difficult as the season was at times, Lester believes it ended up making both the players and coaching staff stronger.
"This year reminded me not to back off from what this program is about," Lester said. "We talk all the time about what it means to be an Olympian, and that is accountability, toughness, selflessness, gratitude, and being a good person. This season really showed why those things matter."