The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Rachel Tam Named to Preseason All-Conference USA Team
2/25/2022 8:56:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM – Redshirt senior Rachel Tam has been named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team, as announced by the league office on Friday.
Tam is one of 10 players named to the first ever Preseason All-Conference USA Team and is the lone representative for the Blazers. This is the first year Conference USA has sponsored beach volleyball and UAB is joined by FAU, FIU, Southern Miss, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina and ULM who represent the seven-member league.
Conference USA will now be eligible for an automatic qualifying berth into the expanded 16-team NCAA Tournament and the winner of the C-USA Tournament in late April will represent the league at NCAAs.
Tam is the coming off a 2021 season in which she tied a school record with 14 court one victories. Tam played every match last season on court one and finished with a 14-13 overall record, including a mark of 9-5 in three set matches.
Tam led UAB to many milestones last year, including the Blazers earning their first national ranking in school history. She will once again anchor the top of UAB's lineup as the Blazers venture into year two under head coach Terri Del Conte.
UAB opens the 2022 season tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 25 at No. 3 Florida State. While in Tallahassee, UAB will face the third-ranked Seminoles, No. 6 TCU, No. 13 Florida Atlantic and North Florida.
Preseason All-Conference USA Team:
Julia Blazek, Jr., ULM
*Erica Brok, Gr., Florida Atlantic
Maddy Delmonte, Sr., Georgia State
Irena Drobnjak, Jr., Coastal Carolina
Eden Hawes, Gr., Georgia State
Paige Kalkhoff, So., FIU
Martine Kragholm, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
Mackenzie Morris, Gr., Florida Atlantic
Roberta Ribeiro, Sr., FIU
Rachel Tam, R-Sr., UAB
*Preseason Player of the Year
Tam is one of 10 players named to the first ever Preseason All-Conference USA Team and is the lone representative for the Blazers. This is the first year Conference USA has sponsored beach volleyball and UAB is joined by FAU, FIU, Southern Miss, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina and ULM who represent the seven-member league.
Conference USA will now be eligible for an automatic qualifying berth into the expanded 16-team NCAA Tournament and the winner of the C-USA Tournament in late April will represent the league at NCAAs.
Tam is the coming off a 2021 season in which she tied a school record with 14 court one victories. Tam played every match last season on court one and finished with a 14-13 overall record, including a mark of 9-5 in three set matches.
Tam led UAB to many milestones last year, including the Blazers earning their first national ranking in school history. She will once again anchor the top of UAB's lineup as the Blazers venture into year two under head coach Terri Del Conte.
UAB opens the 2022 season tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 25 at No. 3 Florida State. While in Tallahassee, UAB will face the third-ranked Seminoles, No. 6 TCU, No. 13 Florida Atlantic and North Florida.
Preseason All-Conference USA Team:
Julia Blazek, Jr., ULM
*Erica Brok, Gr., Florida Atlantic
Maddy Delmonte, Sr., Georgia State
Irena Drobnjak, Jr., Coastal Carolina
Eden Hawes, Gr., Georgia State
Paige Kalkhoff, So., FIU
Martine Kragholm, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
Mackenzie Morris, Gr., Florida Atlantic
Roberta Ribeiro, Sr., FIU
Rachel Tam, R-Sr., UAB
*Preseason Player of the Year
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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