De Anza College Adds Beach Volleyball Program
After unanimous campus and conference approvals, De Anza College is pleased to announce the addition of Women's Beach Volleyball to its athletic department. The Mountain Lions will start competition in the seven-team Coast Conference this upcoming 2022 CCCAA spring season.
The addition of Beach Volleyball started with the De Anza College's Physical Education & Athletics Division planning and program review process – before voting from the Instructional Planning & Budget Team and College Council. Friday's vote by the Coast Conference at San Jose City College, means that De Anza College can start recruiting and planning for its 17th sport team.
De Anza College head coach Dawnis Guevera, the school's all-time leader in victories for its indoor volleyball program, will lead the beach team as well.
"I am super excited that we have been approved to start Beach Volleyball as an official sport at De Anza College," Guevara said.
"This has been in the works for numerous years and I would like to thank everyone that finally made it a reality. I especially want to thank our dean, Eric Mendoza, who put together the official proposal, and our vice president, Christina Espinosa-Pieb, who supported our efforts along the way. I would also like to thank all of our constituency groups that voted unanimously for this to happen, including IPBT and College Council."
De Anza will practice and compete off-site, while planning for a future on-campus facility.
"The overwhelming support from our college committees and leadership, and our Coast Conference partners, is greatly appreciated," said De Anza College's Dean of Physical Education & Athletics Eric Mendoza.
"We are excited for the current and future volleyball student-athletes in our local area. We look forward to growing the program and increasing opportunities for students to pursue their academic and athletic goals in this emerging sport."
Current DA volleyball student-athlete Ciairra Orsolini, an outside hitter from Del Mar High School, plans play on the school's first beach team.
"I'm very excited that after a long season away from volleyball, due to the pandemic, that our team is able to bring our skills to the sand courts – and build on what we already started with indoor volleyball," Orsolini said.
De Anza's inaugural beach season starts with official practice on Jan. 15. Interested student-athletes can contact coach Guevara at guevaradawnis@fhda.edu
Additional comments from DA student-athletes:
Molly Vainish (So, MB, Homestead HS): "I am very excited to have the opportunity to play beach volleyball. I love the game!"
Bailey Weiss (Fr. Setter, Woodside HS): "I think that De Anza now having a beach team allows our players to stay conditioned in the off-season, while participating in soomething they may never have before with fellow teammates."
Beach Volleyball Coast Conference Schools
Cabrillo College
College of San Mateo
De Anza College
Fresno City College
Monterey Peninsula College
West Valley College
Gavilan College