CONWAY, Ark. - After nearly 20 months of waiting after it was announced publicly, the first-ever beach volleyball season is just around the corner. No stranger to Warrior Athletics, head beach volleyball coach
MC Parker finished up a four-year prolific career for Hendrix's indoor volleyball team after the 2016 season and is currently in her second season as the assistant indoor volleyball coach for the Warriors. Currently, Parker's beach volleyball team is just one of five NCAA Division III teams in the nation. Head indoor volleyball coach
Brittany Newberry serves as the beach volleyball assistant coach. Hendrix opens its iconic season Feb. 28 against Central Arkansas from Florence, Ala.
"This season is special because it's the first-ever official beach volleyball season at Hendrix," exclaimed Parker. "We have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for the many years to come!"
PLAYERS
The team consists of eight players; six of which play indoor volleyball and two of which are a part of the swimming & diving team at Hendrix. The indoor volleyball players include:
Caroline Garlington,
Charlotte Alexander,
Jeanette McGrath,
Grace Turner,
Maddie Tovar,
Molly Kingston,
MaKenzie Presley and
Meghan Fuller-Freeman. The two swimming & diving athletes include
Madison Eppard and
Magdalene Gullion. McGrath is a 5'1" product of Burleson, Texas and earned All-SAA Honorable Mention honors this past fall season.
"It's always a joy witnessing newcomers to the sport catching the beach volleyball bug," Parker went on to say. "Some of our newcomers have less beach volleyball experience than indoor volleyball experience so it will be fun to see them begin the love/hate relationship of moving and playing in the sand."
SCHEDULE
The Warriors battle the UCA Beach Bears Feb. 28 at 10:45 a.m. in the season opener which is also the opening match of the 2020 North Alabama Tournament. The Warriors will also face Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m. before taking on tournament host North Alabama Feb. 29 at 10:45 a.m. and finally battling Huntingdon at 2:15 p.m. in the final game of the program-opening tournament. Hendrix returns to Conway Mar. 6 at 12:30 p.m. to battle Park in UCA's tournament before taking on yet another Division I team in Austin Peay at 4:30 p.m. Hendrix will face a pair of Division I teams Mar. 7 in North Alabama (8:30 a.m.) once again followed by tournament host UCA (4:30 p.m.) in the tournament finale. The Warriors will take part in the Huntingdon Tournament Mar. 14-15 before heading to Elsah, Ill. to take part in the Principia College Tournament Apr. 10-11. Hendrix will compete in the 2020 Small College Beach Championship Apr. 18-19 and will take place in Tavares, Fla.
"We have several home weekends (at our shared beach volleyball courts located at UCA), so our Hendrix fans will have the opportunity to experience our first Hendrix Beach Volleyball competitions with us," Parker explained. "At the end of our season in April, we will compete in the Small College Beach Championships in Tavares, Fla., where we will compete in the first-ever Division III Beach Volleyball National Championship. All five NCAA D-III beach volleyball teams will be in attendance. It's going to be a great season of growth with this incredible group of young women!"
