SAN BRUNO, Calif. – In her first season of collegiate beach volleyball, San Francisco’s Burkleigh Smith was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
 
Competing at the third and fourth doubles flights throughout the season, Smith recorded 14 wins, tied for the second most on the team. Teaming up primarily with Branson Lennon, the duo compiled a 12-16 record, highlighted by eight wins at the third doubles flight. Appearing in all 33 dual matches this season, Smith earned crucial victories over San Jose State, Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara, and Boise State.
 
In the WCC Championship, Smith, teaming up with Rylie Reeves, posted an impressive three-set victory over Portland to help guide the green and gold to a 4-1 win.
 
For San Francisco, Smith becomes the fourth player in program history to be named to the WCC All-Freshman Team.
 
The full 2025 West Coast Conference Beach Volleyball awards can be viewed here.
 
For updates and more information on the San Francisco beach volleyball team, follow the Dons on Instagram @USFDonsBeach.
 

Eight members of the ConVal girls’ varsity and JV volleyball teams keep their skills sharp by playing travel volleyball throughout the winter and spring, competing in tournaments as far away as Las Vegas and going up against teams from all over the country.

“Playing against really talented girls from all over is incredibly tough because the competition is on a whole different level. Every player is fast, powerful and smart on the court. You’re constantly challenged physically by the speed and strength of their game, and mentally by their ability to read plays and stay composed under pressure,” said ConVal varsity co-captain Zadie Marshall.

Marshall and fellow co-captain Ivy Armstrong-McEvoy play for Junior Dynamo NH Volleyball Club based in Milford. This winter, tournaments with Dynamo took them to Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Connecticut and Boston.

Most of the players travel 45 minutes to one hour each way to practice with their club teams, balancing schoolwork and other sports. All eight players also work during the school year and the summer.

“I would say that the most-challenging thing about playing travel volleyball is staying on top of schoolwork during tournament weekends,” Armstrong-McEvoy said. “It can be challenging to complete school assignments while also focusing on playing. A lot of my energy is saved for the games I have to play during the day, and I try my very best to use the rest of my energy on assignments. Although sometimes, all I want to do is take a nap after working hard on the court.”

Ava Van Horn, Regan Kirlin, Piper Bernier and Emily Simard play for the Capital Region Black Hawks Volleyball Club, which is based in Concord. When asked what she thinks is the best part of travel volleyball, Simard said she enjoys getting to play at a higher level.

“Depending on what bracket we are placed in, at all our tournaments, we seem to play a few higher-level teams, which I definitely enjoy,” Simard said. “I also like being able to meet and play against new people and to get to experience more game play during tournaments.”

All the players agree that playing travel volleyball is a very different experience from playing on the ConVal team.

“I would say that club volleyball is a lot different than the ConVal season. For me, I learn a lot of my skills during the club season, and then showcase them during the ConVal season,” Armstrong-McEvoy said.

Van Horn said the best part of playing travel volleyball is making new friends.

“From my experience, the social and physical dynamics of school and club teams are very different,” Van Horn said. “A highlight of my club season has been connecting with the girls and forming ‘forever’ friendships. Not only do we share a love for the sport, but now each other as well.”

Bernier said, “I really enjoy playing club volleyball because it gives me the opportunity to compete at a high level with players from all over, which pushes me to grow as an athlete. I can see noticeable growth in my skills and confidence, and I’m truly proud of that. I’m also really grateful for all the coaches. ”

Bernier said varsity and club volleyball are “hard to compare, since they’re so different.”

“I also really enjoy high school volleyball. The energy on our team is always so positive, and I’m surrounded by supportive teammates and peers. One of the best parts of school volleyball is the support we see at games from the students and parents. Club and school are so different, but I’ve learned a lot from both,’ she said.

Kirlin, a sophomore, balanced winter club volleyball with skiing on the ConVal Alpine team.

“Learning to play cohesively as a team with limited practice time is a real challenge, since we only practice twice a week, and one practice is optional,” Kirlin said.

Kirlin feels her travel team, the Black Hawks, are very supportive, and she appreciates the quality of the coaching.

“My travel team coach really cares, and spends time talking to us about how we can improve as players,” Kirin said. “I loved getting to play in a set position where I can grow and improve as a player, but also fill in where I am needed elsewhere on the team.”

Sophomore Grace Schuneman, who plays for the Mill City Orange, said travel and varsity volleyball are “very different.”

“It takes longer to come together on travel teams because very few girls know each other. The time commitment and the extra work required to be successful means sacrificing in other areas. It’s also really a year-round commitment,” Schunemann said.

Schuneman plans to attend volleyball camps to work on her skills throughout the summer.

Junior Ashlynn Williams, who plays for Meraki Volleyball in Bedford, travels just under an hour each way.

“Travel volleyball has way high expectations and it really will push me to make strides in my volleyball career,” she said.

Each of the players said the best part of travel volleyball, aside from making new friends, is winning tournaments. Marshall said the hours of practice “were all worth it” when Dynamo finished the season on top.

“Winning in a division above our usual level was the highlight of the season because it proved how much we had grown as a team and how hard we had worked. We weren’t expected to come out on top, and every match pushed us to play smarter, harder, and more together than ever before. That win wasn’t just a trophy; it was a statement that we could compete with the best and hold our own,” she said.

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 7 Texas Beach Volleyball heads to Gulf Shores, Alabama for its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed. The Longhorns will open play in the first round with a match-up against No. 10 California. A Texas victory will would advance the Longhorns to the quarterfinals to play either No. 2 TCU or No. 15 Georgia State on May 3. 

All duals at this weekend’s competition will be played until decision. First team to three points, regardless of the standings in the other matches, will finalize the dual.

FIRST ROUND

Opponent: No. 10 California Berkeley (27-9)

Location: Beach Volleyball Courts | Gulf Shores, Alabama

Date: Friday, May 2

Time: 1:00 p.m. CT

TV: ESPN2

Series History: Cal leads 2-1

Last Meeting: L 2-3 (March 21, 2025 – East vs. West Invitational – Austin, TX)

LEADING LONGHORNS:

Riding a 13 match winning streak, Maddison Parmelly and Karin Zolnercikova lead the Longhorns with a team-best 26-6 record (25-6 at No. 3, 1-0 at No. 2), including 14 wins against ranked opponents. Two other pairs have each posted 24 wins and 13 ranked victories with a 24-10 record from Macey Butler and Noa Sonneville (19-8 at No. 4, 5-2 at No. 5) and a 24-12 record from Katie Hashman and Emma Grace Robertson (18-9 at No. 2, 6-3 at No. 1). Chloe Charles and Eva Liisa Kuivonen add a 16-13 record (9-13 at No. 1, 7-0 at No. 2) followed by an 8-7 record from Ava Patton and Kylie Wickley (2-0 at No. 3, 5-3 at No. 4, 1-4 at No. 5).

THIS SEASON:

Texas is coming off a historic weekend, winning the CCSA Championship in its inaugural season with the league. The Longhorns finished the 2025 season with a 27-9 record and ranked No. 7 in the AVCA poll. Over the course of the season, Texas received eight awards including two CCSA Pair of the Week honors (Charles/Kuivonen and Parmelly/Zolnercikova), three CCSA-All Tournament Team selections (Robertson/Hashman, Sonneville/Butler, Parmelly/Zolnercikova), CCSA Pair of the Tournament (Robertson/Hashman), CCSA Coach of the Year (Metzger), and one AVCA Pair of the Week honor (Robertson/Hashman).

WATCH THE HORNS:  Every match at the NCAA Championships will be streamed on ESPN2. Fans are able to watch the main feed of the dual or specific courts of to watch their favorite players.

Main Dual Feed

Pair 1

Pair 2

Pair 3

Pair 4

Pair 5

Although junior Laila Krefetz never planned on becoming a high school sports photographer, she discovered a passion for it after taking Digital Photography her sophomore year.

After picking up a few techniques, Krefetz recognized her natural talent for the skill. “I wanted to take it further, so I joined the AP Photography class,” she said.

At the beginning of her junior year, Krefetz began attending football games, where she captured fast-paced action shots and learned to anticipate key moments on the field.

As she took more photos, people started to notice her talent. Athletes reposted her pictures, coaches complimented her work, and parents reached out to thank her for capturing special moments. “I feel extremely grateful for the compliments, whether at a game or when I’m passing someone in the hall,” she said.

“The recognition means the absolute world to me, and I don’t think people realize how much I appreciate it,” Krefetz added. 

Krefetz saw a significant difference between her early photos and her current work as her technique and editing improved. “If you look back on some of my earlier photos, like from football season, you can see how much I’ve grown through my photos. My editing and technique make me feel good knowing I’m getting better consistently,” she said.

As her confidence grew, so did her passion for sports photography. Krefetz began attending more games, from water polo to lacrosse, eager to improve and add to her portfolio.

“I like capturing those key moments, like sprinting down the field to shoot a goal, hyping teammates up before the game, or a group huddle with coaches,” she said.

Krefetz explained that while getting the perfect shot can sometimes be challenging, the excitement of the game keeps her motivated. “This opportunity has opened many doors for me, and I owe it all to the athletes, parents, and coaches because they have shown so much support,” Krefetz said. “Their encouragement has made a huge difference.”

Krefetz is already thinking about how to keep photography in her life after high school. Though she doesn’t plan to major in photography, she hopes to continue capturing sports moments in college while pursuing her other academic interests.

“Right now I am saving up for my camera equipment so I can continue it in college,” she said. “It’s a passion that I am serious about, not to study in college, but possibly to take photos on the sidelines of sports games.” 

Check out Laila Krefetz’s latest sports photography on her official website, where she showcases her photos from school sports events.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — A historic season for senior Allie Cataldo and junior Hannah Couch came to an end last week at the WCC Beach Volleyball Tournament. That duo paired in every match at the ones for the Gaels this season, amassing the most wins of any pair in a single season in program history. This helped lead the Gaels to their first 20 win season since 2019, their second ever in program history. As such, both Cataldo and Couch were honored as second team members of the All-WCC team. 

Cataldo and Couch paired up to go 24-11 from the one spot this season, including upset wins over the top pairs from Arizona, Washington and Tulane. Both of them surpassed 100 matches played as Gael this season, with Cataldo appearing in 108 (5th most in program history) and Couch appearing in 103 (6th most in program history). Couch has now won 59 matches in her time, tied for seventh most in program history, while Cataldo has won 58, tied for ninth most. As a pair, the dynamic duo have won 29 matches together at the ones throughout their SMC careers, the most of any pair at the top position in program history. This is Allie Cataldo’s first time earning an All-WCC nod, while Hannah Couch finds herself as a second team honoree for the second straight year. 

The Gaels season came to an end at the WCC Quarterfinals, finishing with a record of 20-16. Saint Mary’s went 9-4 against conference foes, and unbeaten at home for the season. Head Coach Janice Harrer became the winningest coach in program history in what was a rousing success of a season for the 2025 Gaels. 

#GaelsRise