Beach Volleyball Welcomes Largest-Ever Signing Class for 2017-18
Nov 23, 2016 | Women's Beach Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS – Following the Tulane beach volleyball program's winningest campaign in school history, head coach Wayne Holly has added another milestone to the team's timeline, signing five incoming players to the roster for the 2017-18 school year, the Green Wave's largest signing class to date.
"This class is very deep in character, skill and academic ability - and we're not done yet," Holly said. "It is our largest class to date and completes our four-year transition to a beach-only roster. Through the support of the University and a focused effort on identifying and attracting extraordinary people, we now have in place the deepest and most complete team in our program's history. I'm excited to continue the process of growing, learning and accomplishing together that is vital to realizing our vision of sustained competitive excellence."
This incoming class of five includes athletes with a wealth of experience on both the national and international stage. Kendyl Brennan (Laguna Beach, Calif.), Ashley Delgado (Novato, Calif.), Morgan Esters (Calabasas, Calif.), Rio Frohoff (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Carleigh Semeniuk (Whitby, Ontario) will all suit up for the Green Wave next spring.
Kendyl Brennan
Kendyl Brennan is a 5'7 native of Laguna Beach, Calif. who lettered in both beach and indoor volleyball at Laguna Beach High School. On the sand, she claimed a bronze-medal finish at the AAU Junior Olympics as well as a title finish in the AAU America's Challenge. She was also named Laguna Beach High School First-Team IBVL for her prep efforts, which included a first-place league finish her junior year with a 10-0 record in league play.
Holly on Brennan…
"Kendyl brings excellent defensive skills and an effective, creative side-out game to our program. She is one of the rare players who can change a game defensively and score consistently in transition. Among Kendyl's versatile skills is her ability to calmly adapt to conditions and partners to be successful in any situation. This quality will serve our program well immediately and into the future."
Ashley Delgado
Ashley Delgado, who has played alongside fellow signee Brennan, is a five-sport athlete at Branson High School in Novato, Calif., where she has lettered in indoor volleyball, track and field, golf and cross country while playing club for Golden Gate Beach Volleyball. She placed third at the 2016 AAU Championships and participated in AVP tournaments in both Hunting Beach and San Francisco during her club career.
Holly on Delgado…
"A multi-sport athlete, Ashley is a superb, all-around skill player with great versatility as a blocker and defender. Mentally, she is a very good in-game decision-maker who is highly skilled at balancing the emotions of the game with cerebral analysis. Ashley's team-first mentality, refined skill and strong character will help drive us to be a sustained, championship-caliber program."
Morgan Esters
Morgan Esters is a 6'0 native of Calabasas, Calif., who played both beach and indoor volleyball for Agoura High School. With the Chargers, Esters played for the no. 1 team on the sand and led her indoor team in kills for two consecutive seasons, being named Varsity Offensive Player of the Year for her efforts. She played club ball for the Valley Girls Beach Volleyball Club, a highly-respected team coached by former top beach professionals Jen Pavley and Heather Lowe.
On the amateur circuit, Esters was a gold medalist at the AAU Junior National Classic while recording Gold Bracket finishes at both the AAU Junior National Championship and the Beach Volleyball Clubs of America (BVCA) National Championship Tournament. Esters owns multiple top finishes playing for the California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) and was selected to play in the Queen of the Beach Invitational, an offer extended to the top high school players from across the country.
Holly on Esters…
"Morgan's combination of mental and physical skills make her an imposing opponent. She is an excellent server and blocker and is very good at learning within the game to calculate if and when to change tactics. Morgan really loves Tulane and will be a strong leader for us during her tenure here."
Rio Frohoff
Rio Frohoff comes to Tulane from Redondo Beach, Calif., where she played both indoor and beach volleyball at Mira Costa High School. With the Mustangs, Frohoff helped her team to a 55-1 record over a five-year period, contributing to three of four Interscholastic Beach Volleyball League Championships.
Frohoff played club for Elite Beach Volleyball and was chosen to represent the team in all tournaments. She earned a silver-medal finish at the 2016 California State Championships and placed third in the 2016 AAU Junior Olympics, also coming in fifth place at the 2016 AAU Nationals. She received a AAA rating, equivalent to that of a professionally-rated player, and is ranked in the top 20 beach volleyball athletes in California and top 125 in the nation.
Holly on Frohoff…
"Rio is a fiercely competitive and driven individual whose size and skills make her a very versatile player. She can block and defend and is among the best on-court communicators I've seen in a long time. Rio loves Tulane and brings to us great character, work ethic and commitment to our vision.
Carleigh Semeniuk
Carleigh Semeniuk, a native of Whitby, Ontario, is a highly-rated player out of Brooklin High School. She played club for On2 Volleyball and was also a right-side hitter for her high school's indoor team. On the sand, Semeniuk will bring a wealth of both national and international experience to the Green Wave.
Semeniuk was most recently a gold medalist at the 2016 Canadian FIVB World Championship Beach Trials (19U) and placed fourth in the U23 Division at the 2016 Canadian Beach Nationals. She also competed at the FIVB World Championships in Larnaca, Cyprus, coming away with a 17th-place finish. In 2015, she was the 2015 Ontario Beach Provincial Champion (24U) and a silver medalist at both the Canadian Beach Nationals and the Canadian NORCECA Beach Trials.
Holly on Semeniuk…
"Carleigh is already an accomplished beach volleyball player with a wealth of international experience that allows her to play with a maturity beyond her years. She knows how to train to succeed at a high level and is highly driven to expand our team's capacity for sustained success. Carleigh's determination to be the best is evident in how she conducts herself and will contribute to strengthening our program's resolve to accomplish our goals."
