UW beach volleyball team thrives in Seattle’s unpredictable weather

SEATTLE — Like the ocean’s crest crashing on shore, the beach volleyball season is in one weekend and out the other. But not without first making some waves.

“It is so awesome,” said Sarah Wilcock, a University of Washington (UW) sophomore. “Alki tournament is my favorite, sun, rain, shine, whatever it is, it’s such an awesome tournament and so many people come out to watch.”

The UW beach volleyball team only hosts one tournament per season on its home beach in West Seattle. The rest of the year, the team travels to places with milder weather or sterile indoor environments.

“A lot of times we’re traveling, we’re just playing on campus on manmade courts, so to play on an actual beach and to look over at the ocean and to have the wind and different elements that sometimes you lose in a manmade facility, it’s so much fun,” said Lauren Wilcock, UW senior.

It’s no secret that April in Seattle can be no day at the beach, but the Huskies use that to their advantage.

“Last year, we had the most absolutely horrific weather,” Sarah Wilcock said. “It was rainy, gusty, all of it, and we had Cal and ASU come and those were our two biggest upsets of the year. We were like, ‘Yes, we are playing to our advantages!'”

Lauren Wilcock said the team is used to practicing in all types of weather throughout the year, whether they are on campus on the shores of Lake Washington, or getting their footing on the sands of Alki Beach.

“So, I think it’s just kind of our program motto, like, ‘We just have to weather the storm throughout the whole year for practice,’ so it’s fun,” Lauren Wilcock said. “Thankfully, it’s nice weather, but when it’s bad, we feel like we are the home court advantage.”

Teila Allen, a junior transfer from San Jose State, won back-to-back 3A state indoor championships in her freshman and sophomore years at Mt. Spokane. While she grew up playing inside in Washington, she’s used to playing outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

“I especially take pride in it, growing up nearby Seattle, because we play these big California schools and no one wants to lose to us because it’s almost an insult,” Allen said. “They get to train in sunny, 70, 80 degree weather, and then when we come in, we’re the underdog, but a big thing for our program is being gritty.”

Gritty, yet easygoing. It’s the perfect combination resulting in the Beach Dawgs remaining ranked in the top 20 the entire season, finishing the year at No. 20 nationally.

“The vibes are just – it’s you and your partner and you’re not necessarily worried about the coach either because it’s just you guys out there,” Allen said. “A big thing that me and my partner take from the game is just being grateful that we get to be here and just grateful for every point.”

Washington fell short of making the college beach volleyball championship bracket. TCU won the 2025 national championship with a win over Loyola Marymount.