The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Beach Volleyball Begins 2017 Season; Hosts Blazer Beach Duals
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kicking off the 2017 season, the UAB Beach Volleyball team hosts the Blazer Beach Duals this weekend, March 3-5, at the West Campus Athletic Complex.
FIRST SERVE:
The Blazer, who begin their sixth season in program history, host their first of two tournaments this season, with the other coming April 14-15. This weekend, UAB welcomes Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, Mercer, New Orleans, Tulane and ULM.
MEET YOUR 2017 BLAZERS:
UAB returns six letterwinners from last year’s team and has added seven new faces to the roster. Juniors Avery Hoven, Avei Logoleo and Gabbi Moreno headline the returners, while Emily Martinez, Tressa Buckland and Rachel Evans were also members of the 2016 squad. New to the team this season include graduate transfers Katarina Jovicic (Columbia) and Kalah Jones (VCU), along with true freshmen Brittney Munro and Morgan Smith.
The Blazers also have added three indoor volleyball players to the roster this year in Kenley Adams, Haley Jared and Erika Zembyla. Martinez also plays indoor but this will be her second season playing beach as well.
ALREADY IN THE RECORD BOOK:
Junior Avei Logoleo, UAB’s first-ever beach only player, is just 19 wins shy of the program record which is currently held by 2016 graduate Sara Rishell who tallied 50 wins in her career. Logoleo enters the season with 32 wins, 17 of which came in 2015 and 15 in 2016.
Logoleo’s 17 wins in 2015 were a program record which Emily Martinez and Gabbi Moreno tied last season. That duo played every match together last season and tied the single-season record en route to a 17-14 overall record.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION:
UAB will play one conference match this weekend which comes on Saturday against No. 15 Tulane. The Green Wave is one of five CCSA teams ranked in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll. UAB is 4-7 all-time vs. Tulane, but holds a 6-3 record against the other four teams the Blazers will be paired against (1-0 vs. JSU, 2-0 vs. New Orleans, 3-3 vs. ULM, 0-0 vs. Austin Peay - first year of BVB).
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 3:
10 a.m. - UAB vs. Jacksonville State
1 p.m. - Mercer vs. Jacksonville State
4 p.m. - Mercer vs. New Orleans
Saturday, March 4:
8 a.m. - ULM vs. Mercer
10 a.m. - UAB vs. New Orleans
12 p.m. - Tulane vs. Jacksonville State
2 p.m. - New Orleans vs. Austin Peay
4 p.m. - UAB vs. Tulane
6 p.m. - ULM vs. Jacksonville State
Sunday, March 5:
8 a.m. - Austin Peay vs. Tulane
10 a.m. - UAB vs. ULM
1 p.m. - ULM vs. Tulane
3 p.m. - UAB vs. Austin Peay
Fans can receive updates by following @UAB_BVB on Twitter and Instagram.
