Gaston College in 9-team NJCAA beach volleyball national championship field
Gaston College's beach volleyball team is heading back to the National Junior College Athletic Association championships.
The Rhinos' only program with an on-campus home venue became the school's first team to ever play in a NJCAA national championship last spring when they finished 10th in the 12-team field at Tavares, Fla.
This year, the NJCAA championships will be contested by a 9-team field ta John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex in Huntsville, Ala.
Gaston College is one of three Region 10 teams in the field, including Richard Bland after the that school won the Region 10 title last Saturday at the Rhinos' on-campus facility.
"We're excited for the chance to get to compete at the National Championships again this year," Gaston College coach Rachel Noreika said. "Earning a bid for the second year in a row is good for the program and I'm excited that the team gets to end our season with this awesome experience."
The Rhinos will begin play on Thursday for a three-day event that concludes on Saturday. In their pool play, Gaston College meets defending NJCAA champion Palm Beach State at 10 a.m. ET, then faces Mesa Community College at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Sophomores Bianca Bowland, Naomi Hilliard, Leilani Nolasco, Carli Phillips, Cameryn Reavis, Cristina Rotola and Millea Styles were on last year's team that went 2-4 in the NJCAA national championships with each picking up victories in the event.
"I definitely think that will help," Noreika said.
This season, the Rhinos have played a challenging schedule of 18 matches against four-year schools that has dragged their overall record down to 8-20.
This season, the pairing of Rotola and freshman Valentina Rodriguez has emerged as a top winner with 12 victories.
"They have improved a lot," Noreika said of Rotola and Rodriguez. "They were playing in the No. 1 slot and were struggling with their confidence.
"So we moved Cristina and Valentina to the No. 2 spot and it helped them find their game and their confidence. They've obviously on a winning streak now and playing really well and will be moved back to the No. 1 spot for next week."
The pairing of Hilliard and freshman Maddie Dearing are second on the team with nine victories.
Other pairs slated to compete are the pairs of Bowland and freshman Milica Gavrica, Reavis and Styles and Nolasco and Phillips. Freshman Olivia Ceballos is the team's alternate player.
If you're interested in supporting the beach volleyball to help with expenses for their trip, click on this link: https://org.eteamsponsor.com/ETS/supportUs/759510989