Women’s Beach Volleyball | August 17, 2023
LOS ANGELES – The three-time defending NCAA champion USC beach volleyball team welcomes the addition of five talented freshman to the 2023-24 roster, head coach Dain Blanton announced on Thursday, August 17.
The Trojans’ quintet of first-year players include Madison Goellner (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall HS), Grace Hong (Newport Beach, Calif./Mater Dei HS), Zoey Mitchell (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland HS), Ashley Pater (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS), and Kaylee Young (Southlake, Texas/Carroll Senior HS).
“We’re looking forward to the arrival of this freshman class,” said Blanton. “They are a talented group and will bring a lot to the table this season. Some may be more experienced on the sand than others, but the ceiling is high for each of them. They are also a testament to the way our sport is growing rapidly across the country. We’re proud to bring in student-athletes from Florida, Texas, Missouri, and California in this cycle, and can’t wait for them all to join the Trojan Family.”
Goellner—a 6-2 outside hitter in high school—helped her team win three regional titles (2020-22) and registered a career-high of 32 kills in a single match. She played for the Madsand beach volleyball club for four years and took home her first gold medal as winner of the 2019 U14 AVP national championship. Goellner also helped her club win the 2022 BVCA championship and has been part of the USAV National Development Training Program for two years (2021-23).
Hong played both indoor and beach volleyball and served as a captain at Mater Dei. She played for the Spiker Beach Volleyball Club and helped the Spiker Black squad to a first-place finish in the 2023 OC Event. Hong has also helped her teams to a first-place finish at the 2021 AAU Grand Prix and to second-place finishes at the 2023 AAU national championship and 2021 CBVA Cal Cup.
Mitchell was a three-time all-conference first-team and two-time all-district award winner as a 5-11 setter at Timberland High School. She has finished as high as second place at the 2022 Clearwater p1440 event and holds two third-place finishes at the 2022 USAV Beachfest and the 2023 Gulf Shores p1440 event. Mitchell played for the P4:13 Beach Volleyball Club and the JaJa Beach Volleyball Club.
Pater served as…
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