Third Coast College Classic
February. 23-24 | Houston, Texas
SEATTLE— The University of Washington Beach Volleyball team opens its 2024 campaign in Houston, Texas, on February 23rd and 24th. On Friday the 23rd, the Beach Dawgs take on No. 6 Louisiana State University and No. 4 Texas Christian University as part of the Third Coast College Classic Tournament. TCU will be a tough first draw as they held the No. 1 ranking for six consecutive weeks last season.
The season’s first game starts at 7 a.m. PST against TCU, and then the Dawgs will play LSU at 11 a.m PST. The Dawgs will wrap up the Third Coast College Classic tournament against Central Arkansas and Houston Christian University on Saturday the 24th.
The 2024 Beach Dawgs are poised to build off the greatest season in program history. The Huskies spent the entire 2023 season ranked in the top 20, set program records for wins, and finished at No. 15 in the country, the highest finish ever. Last year, the Dawgs were led by two fantastic seniors, Chloe Loreen and Natalie Robinson, who of course have graduated. But the Huskies will look to build on the foundation they left, and plan to lean on Scarlett Dahl in particular. She’s the longest-tenured Beach Dawg, as she has been at UW since before Head Coach Derek Olson took over the program in 2021.
“She’s the one that paved the way for us coaches… she owns what it means to be a player in the Pacific Northwest,” Olson said of her.
Assistant Coach Steve McFadden echoed the sentiment towards Dahl.
“Scarlett works her butt off… she embodies what we want this program to be about,” McFadden said.
The coaching staff has been emphasizing the “Gritty By Nature” mantra in practice and the fall scrimmages, which highlights the toughness of players. Senior Kendall Mather is a powerful example of that adage, with her skills growing over time, including leadership skills. Mather is more vocal this year than last, as an example, Olson said, adding that he is proud of her expanded leadership role. The outspoken leadership is crucial with such a new team.
Also, this season the Beach Dawgs welcomed eleven new players. Olson said this freshman class is arguably the best in the country. According to the coaching staff, Magdalena Rabitsch is a player to keep an eye on because she has been flying under the radar.
“She is a long way from home, and she treats it [Beach Volleyball] like a profession already,” Olson…
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