No. 12/13 Sandy Owls Commence 2022 Season

Saturday, February 26

Tallahassee, Fla.

10:30 AM

Florida Atlantic

TCU

Photo by: ©JC Ridley/Florida Atlantic

2/24/2022 1:40:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Live Stats vs. TCU Live Stats vs. Southern Miss Live Stats vs. FSU Live Stats vs. UAB

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The No. 12/13th ranked beach volleyball team at Florida Atlantic University is set to open up the 2022 campaign at the Florida State Beach Bash this weekend. The team will commence the year in Tallahassee by playing No. 6 TCU, Southern Miss, tournament host No. 3 Florida State and UAB.

FAU is off their first Conference Championship and is now a part of the inaugural membership of Conference USA beach volleyball. The team is under direction of Capri Grotowski, who is in her eighth season at the helm with 105 career wins.

Tournament Schedule

Saturday, Feb. 26

10:30 a.m. vs. No. 6 TCU
3:30 p.m. vs. Southern Miss

Sunday, Feb. 27

1 p.m. vs. No. 3 Florida State
2:15 p.m. vs. UAB

Series History vs. Tournament Field

TCU

All-time record: 4-3
Last time out: L, 1-4 at Stetson Spring Fling (2/28/21)

Southern Miss

All-time record: 1-0
Last time out: W, 5-0 at CCSA Championship (4/24/21)

Florida State

All-time record: 0-11
Last time out: L, 2-3 at FAU Beach Bash in Paradise (3/20/21)

UAB

All-time record: 5-0
Last time out: 4-1 at CCSA Championship (4/23/21)

Scouting the Competition

TCU

TCU is ranked No. 6 in the AVCA Poll after finishing the 2021 slate 26-10. The team qualified for the NCAA Championships, but lost both of their matches
The Horn Frogs are led by Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Preseason All-Conference Team selections Daniela Alvarez (Preseason Player of the Year), Tania Moreno and Hailey Brocket

Southern Miss

The Lady Eagles, fellow C-USA opponent, are coming off an 11-26 season
Southern Miss is led by returners Olivia Hepworth (10-27), Valeria Papakyria (10-21) and Kai Norman (10-17)

Florida State

FSU, who is the No. 3 team in the country, is coming off a 33-6 season, which ended with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles beat Stanford in Gulf Shores, Ala., but fell to USC (L, 1-3) and LSU (L, 1-3)
The Seminoles are led by Alaina Chacon, Maddie Anderson and Brook Bauer who were tabbed to the CCSA Preseason Team

UAB

The Blazers, C-USA foe, are coming off a 12-15 season in 2021
Rachel Tam is one of the team's top returners, finishing her final season with a school-record 14 court one victories last season. Her partner, Mikayla Law-Heese, returns for her third season and was with Tam for 12 of those victories last season

2021 Season Review

The Owls ended the season with an impressive 20-10 mark, while finishing the season ranked No. 12 in the AVCA Poll
FAU came off their first ever conference championship as the reigning CCSA Champions
Head coach Grotowski captured her 100th career victory after the Owls tallied a 3-2 win over UNF
Erica Brok led the Owls with a 19-7 record all on court one, while her partner Mackenzie Morris earned an 18-5 mark
The Owls lose just three everyday starters from last year's championship squad

Meet the Returners

#1 Alivia Orvieto (SO), Wayne, Pa.

Played in five matches on court five as a freshman, compiling a 2-3 record
Earned a straight-set victory over Tampa (21-15, 21-18) last season

#2 Maylin Bouffard (JR), Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Earned a 16-10 record after playing on courts 3-5
No. 6 in career winning percentage (.684) in school history

#3 Ellie Austin (JR), Croyde, England

Went 15-13 on court two and saw action on court one for three games as a sophomore
No. 2 in most career wins of Court 2 (24) and No. 9 in career winning percentage (.667) in school history

#4 Erica Brok (GR), Ormand Beach, Fla.

Went 19-7 on court one last season
Coming off last season being named an AVCA First Team All-American, CCSA All-Conference selection, AVCA Top Flight choice and AVCA/CCSA Pair of the Week with partner Morris
School record holder in most individual career wins (72) and most career wins by a pair (71) with Morris

#5 Abby Jackson (SR), Flower Mound, Texas

Tallied a 12-6 record on courts 3-5 as a junior
Tied for sixth most court five wins in a single season at FAU with eight

#10 Lily Richman (SR), Delray Beach, Fla.

Tallied a 9-10 record on courts 4-5 last year
Earned five straight wins throughout the season

#11 Campbell Atkins (JR), Grand Junction, Colo.

Played in two court one matches against Stetson and UNF
Transferred from Erskine, where she played in four matches, which included the program's first ever win

#12 Nieya Pelski (SO), Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Drew the start at court one against Tampa
Three-time state title winner at Calvary Christian

#20 Mackenzie Morris (GR), Jacksonville, Fla.

Earned an 18-5 mark, all on court one, last season
Tabbed an AVCA First Team All-American, CCSA All-Conference selection, AVCA Top Flight choice and AVCA/CCSA Pair of the Week with partner Erica Brok in 2021
Holds the school record in career individual winning percentage (.774) and most wins by a pair with Brok (71)

#21 Courtney Moon (JR), Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas

Ended the season with a 15-14 record on courts 3-5
Tied for sixth most court five wins in a single season at FAU with eight

#25 Jillienne Cangelosi (SR), Gainesville, Fla.

Went 16-13 on courts 2-4 last season and won three of her four matches at the CCSA Championship to help FAU clinch its first conference title
No. 7 in career wins (47) and No. 1 in winning percentage by a pair with old partner Kaila Dorish (.765) in FAU history

#31 Logan Mignerey (SO), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Saw action in six games as a freshman with five on court two and the other on court five
Partnered with Brok on two 2 against Coastal Carolina to win in straight sets (21-17, 21-14)

Meet the Newcomers

#6 Mica Allison (GR), White Health, Ill.

Played indoor volleyball for Illinois for two seasons and one at Auburn, where she was selected on the 2018 SEC All-Freshman Team
Gained valuable experience playing for the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team in the May 2019 Japan Tour (CNT-Japan)

#7 Kelsie Roberts (FR), St. Petersburg, Fla.

Named a 2021 AVCA Junior Beach Honorable Mention All-American
Played for Lakewood Ranch volleyball team

#13 Christine Jarman (GR), Delray Beach, Fla.

Transferred from Virginia where she played in 67 matches across two seasons
Played her senior season of indoor volleyball in the fall with her hometown team of FAU, starting in all matches to lead the team in total kills (232), while tallying the second most points per set (3.05) and total digs (172) on the team

#15 Sydney Schroder (FR), Cold Springs, Ky.

Played under Molly McDermott at Notre Dame Academy
Academic All-State Honorable Mention

#22 Marketa Svozilova (FR), Brno, Czech Republic

Tallied third place at the 2019 Czech Championship and followed that up with a ninth place finish at the 2020 Championship
Ranked No. 3 this past summer with her partner in her home country

#23 Julie Honzovicova (FR), Prague, Czech Republic

At the European Championship, placed fourth for U18, fifth in U20 and 17th in U22
Registered second in U16 and third in U22 at the Czech Championship

#32 Kate Mclaughlin (FR), New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Tabbed an AVCA Junior Beach Honorable Mention All-American
Earned the 2020 SSOVA State Championship

Upcoming

The Owls will host the FAU Beach Bash next weekend, March 4-5 at the Beach Burrow. FAU will welcome Florida Gulf Coast, Austin Peay, UNCW and Palm Beach Atlantic.

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