Tulane Beach Volleyball History
Tulane beach volleyball is one of the most experienced programs in the country as it enters its seventh full season in 2017-18. First announced in 2010, Tulane beach volleyball was among the few pioneering programs nationwide to participate in the sport's inaugural 2012 season. That leadership continues today. Through innovative training, global recruiting, principled teaching and a growth-oriented approach to player development, Tulane beach volleyball continues to pursue excellence as an elite level program capable of achieving sustained competitive excellence.
Below is a list of key moments in Tulane beach volleyball history:
July 9, 2010:Â Tulane Director of Athletics Rick Dickson announces the addition of women's beach volleyball as the Green Wave Athletics Department returns to full NCAA Division I compliance. Beach volleyball was one of two programs introduced as new programs beginning play for the 2011-12 season, joining women's bowling.
Nov. 14, 2011: Four high school seniors - Sophie Asprey of Southlake, Texas, Courtney Liddle of Spring Hill, Fla., Mackenzie Moore of Arlington, Texas and Jackie Wegner of Clearview, Fla. - sign National Letters of Intent to play for the Green Wave in 2013, becoming the first beach-only signees in Tulane beach volleyball history.
March 5, 2012:Â The Tulane beach volleyball team takes to the dunes for the first time as a varsity program when the Green Wave square off against Florida State at The Dock in Slidell, La. The Wave, however, come up short in the contest as the Seminoles cruised to a 5-0 victory.
March 14, 2012: Tulane picks up its first win in program history as the Green Wave post a 3-2 decision over Stetson in DeLand, Fla. Lilly Wolfe and Anna Wruck joined forces to post a 21-18, 21-17 win in No. 3 play while the tandems of Cori Martone and Grace Weaver along with Shefalie Arora and Amber Bennet rally for three-set decisions at No. 1 and No. 5, respectively.Â
March 9, 2013: The second edition of the Tulane beach volleyball team opens the 2013 season in fine fashion with a 4-1 win over Mercer in Birmingham, Ala. The Green Wave posted straight-set wins on Courts 3, 4 and 5, and the No. 1 team of Sophie Asprey and Cori Martone posted a three-set decision en route to the victory.
March 30, 2013:Â The Green Wave earned their first-ever win over a nationally-ranked team as Tulane downed then-No. 6 Florida International, 4-1, in the Doctor's Hospital FIU Surf & Turf Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The win over the Panthers was the fourth in a row for Tulane as the Green Wave had previously defeated UAB (3-2 on March 16) and Stetson (3-2 on March 17) in the Tulane Pelican Classic at Coconut Beach in Kenner, La., and downed Florida Atlantic (4-1 on March 29) in the opening round of the FIU Surf & Turf. The four-game winning streak is the longest in Tulane history to date.
April 4, 2013:Â Tulane makes its first-ever appearance in the national rankings as the Green Wave claimed the No. 9 spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Sand Volleyball Poll.
April 12, 2013:Â The Green Wave wrapped up the 2013 season on a high note as Tulane defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 5-0, and College of Charleston, 3-2, in the Fiesta at Siesta Key in Siesta Key ,Fla. The two wins pushed the Wave's overall record to 9-4.
April 18, 2013:Â Tulane earns a spot in the season's final AVCA national rankings, finishing the year at No. 10.
June 22, 2013: Wayne Holly is named head coach of the Tulane beach volleyball program. Prior to his arrival in uptown New Orleans, Holly was an integral part of the USA Volleyball Beach program, serving as an assistant coach for the USA Volleyball Beach National U19 Team as well as the national camp coach for USA Volleyball Beach High Performance.
April 22, 2014:Â Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner are selected to compete in the AVCA National Pairs Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
April 30, 2015:Â Maddy Mertz and Lan Nguyen set the Freshman class record with 46 combined wins.
May 3, 2015: Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner are selected to compete in the AVCA National Pairs Championship for the second year in a row. The second time around, the pair became the first in program history to reach the Round of 16 Bracket. Juric/Wegner defeated pairs from the University of Arizona, FIU, and the College of Charleston en route to a top 16 finish.
Oct. 22, 2015:Â Tulane accepts an invitation to compete in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Beach Volleyball conference beginning with the 2016 season.
April 20, 2016:Â Jackie Wegner is named CCSA Scholar Athlete of the Year.
April 30, 2016:Â Tulane eclipses 20 win mark for the first time in program history.
April 20, 2017: Tea Juric and Kaylie McHugh are named to the CCSA All-Conference team, and McHugh is named to the CCSA All-Freshman Team. Following the CCSA Conference Tournament, Maddy Mertz and Tarin Mergener are named to the CCSA All-Tournament team.
June 5, 2017:Â Kaylie McHugh breaks the single season freshman win record with 28 wins. McHugh and Tarin Mergener break the Freshman class record with 54 combined wins.
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