In two short years the University of Washington has shattered expectations for its Beach Volleyball program, thanks in part to contributions from student-athletes like Scarlett Dahl. Not only has the fifth year senior grown as a player, but the program has grown with her. The University of Washington Beach Volleyball program has improved by seven wins each season in the last two years.
No one exemplifies the “Gritty By Nature” core value of being a Beach Dawg like Dahl. Her first year was cut short due to COVID-19. Dahl was one of the few active players who underwent the coaching change to Coach Olson in 2022. But she stuck with the Huskies and is now a critical player on a top-ranked team.
“I’m obsessed with the program, and I love it,” Dahl said. As evidence, she is currently doing a fifth year.
Dahl helped lead one of the youngest beach programs in the country to a national ranking. Dahl posted a career high 36 wins as the Huskies finished with their best record in program history. She has worked her way up the record books for the Huskies during her time at UW. She now sits third all-time in overall wins with 78 and second all-time in appearances with 132.
Dahl’s goal during her senior year is to leave the program better than she found it.
“We’ve done a great job of getting recruits that embrace the grittiness and want to work hard… you don’t see any other team coming out from practice caked in mud,” Dahl said.
Much of the team’s success can be attributed to the Beach Dawgs philosophy, known as “extreme ownership.” Dubbed by Coach Olson, extreme ownership is a non-hierarchical system where everyone has a voice, which gives each player a more profound feeling of responsibility toward the team’s success, Dahl explained.
Even with her busy schedule, the Seattle native has been finding ways to stay active outside beach volleyball. She works as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with a Ballard-based gym while studying for her personal training certificate with the National Academy of Sport and Medicine.
She also volunteers at a local animal shelter every Tuesday to work with the cats, to help clean and socialize them. Her love of animals was amplified during COVID-19 when she adopted her cat Harley, who kept her company during online classes.
Dahl has done her fair share of winning and has a great opportunity to leave a permanent mark on the program for years to come.
“The competitions and the wins are so fun, but I’m…
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