Cal Poly Beach Volleyball heads to Alabama to compete in the NCAA Championship this weekend in Gulf Shores, Ala.
The 2024 NCAA beach volleyball championship field was split into nine automatic qualifiers and eight at-large teams on Sunday, April 28.
The Mustang made it into the tournament as an at-large program after the team fell to Long Beach State in the Big West semifinals.
The No. 5 Mustangs’ first matchup will be against No. 12 Arizona State at 8 a.m. on ESPNU on Friday, May 3.
If they win the first game, they continue Saturday against the winner of No. 4 Florida State and No. 12 Washington.
Finishing the set
Ty Soria
Last weekend, Cal Poly (29-6) battled Long Beach State for a shot at reclaiming the Big West Championship title. The Mustangs came back from a frightening 2-0 lead against Long Beach State but ultimately fell 3-2.
When they play against top 10 schools, head coach Todd Rogers knows the Mustangs will have to close out sets when they are ahead of their opponent.
“When you get an opportunity, you got to slam the door and kick them when they’re down,” Rogers said. “Otherwise, they’re strong and they’re gonna come back fiercer than ever and it’s gonna be really hard to shut that door.”
The Mustangs play against No.12 Arizona State, who are entering the national tournament for the first time. Cal Poly has not faced them since 2022 when they swept the Sun Devils 5-0.
Rogers knows the Arizona State coach well. In her first season as head coach of ASU, Kristen Rohr has led them to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. Rogers says that Rohr “would not allow” her team to roll over in any game and that they succeed in the underdog role.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re up 18-12, we got to finish that game,” Rogers said.
This season, Rogers instills a “championship mentality” that he defines as being confident in their own abilities and believing that they deserve to win.
“I’ve tried to get with this program and stop being the underdog,” Rogers said. “[We] go into every match and show them why we’re good and that we do not have to be the underdog to perform to the best of our abilities.”
To the players, this mindset also encompasses aspects outside of volleyball and giving “100% effort” in everything they pursue in their daily lives, according to sophomore Izzy Martinez.
Announced May 1, redshirt sophomore Ella Connor and Martinez earned First Team All-American honors. Junior Piper Ferch and freshman Erin Inskeep, the No. 2 duo on the team, earned Second Team All-American honors.
While this will be Martinez’s first NCAA National Tournament, Connor played in Gulf Shores when Cal Poly competed in 2022. The Mustangs will face a hotter and more humid climate than most of the tournaments they played in this season.
“It’s very different from anywhere I’ve ever played because the sand is so light and it’s kind of blinding in a way,” Connor said.
Underclassman/Upperclassman dynamic
Katie Wright
In addition to the new mentality of the team, Cal Poly Beach Volleyball had developed exciting dynamics among the players.
Almost half of the starting lineup consisted of new members, four of whom largely impacted the team’s success throughout the season.
Graduate student Lindsey Sparks is one who has excelled on the team despite it being her first year at Cal Poly. Playing at the No. 3 spot with freshman Quinn Perry has transformed the duo’s experience as new Mustangs and their relationship on the courts.
“It’s been really fun (having) that kind of dynamic. I have the experience and the skills and the communication patterns to talk to her and help her,” Sparks said. “It’s been really fun to learn and grow together.”
As one of Cal Poly’s top four pairs, Sparks and Perry have a 16-4 overall record. Seven of those wins came from highly ranked opponents, including Sparks’ former team, No. 2 UCLA.
While in the transfer portal, Sparks knew she wanted to be a Mustang. When she arrived, she felt right at home, and the program welcomed her like family.
“I’ve been called the cradle robber because I’m twenty-four, a grad student in my sixth year, and she’s my baby freshman who’s nineteen years old,” Sparks joked.
The No. 3 pairing will look to sustain their progress and increase their record against ASU in the NCAA Championship.
The lone senior Piper Naess and freshman Logan Walter is another dynamic duo that has transformed the Mustangs’ season this year.
The senior-freshman duo at the No. 4 spot will head into the national championship with a winning streak of 21 and one of the highest overall records for a pairing this season; 24-3.
Freshman Erin Inskeep and junior Piper Ferch are yet another undoubtedly solid pairing in the starting lineup that have soared this season.
Sitting at the No. 2 spot, this duo has completed a 28-5 overall record thus far, and a 9-1 record in their last 10 matches.
“Being a freshman [on the team] is really new for me, but I love it,” Inskeep said. “It’s been the best experience.”
The Mustangs will start the tournament against the No. 12 Arizona State University (21-9) at 8 a.m. PT.