Beach Volleyball | 1/19/2022 3:06:00 PM

AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University community officially celebrated the newest athletic facility on Monday afternoon, as the AMU Beach Volleyball Complex was ceremoniously unveiled on campus in a ceremony that honored both the beach and indoor programs. The event included a ribbon-cutting of the new five court beach complex, as well as a banner ceremony for the 2021 Sun Conference Tournament champion indoor team.

The new beach volleyball complex was made possible by the contributions of a donor, who saw the indoor team play online and felt compelled to make a donation to address one of the program's biggest needs - an on-campus home for the beach volleyball program.

Ave Maria athletic director Joe Patterson stated the buzz around the volleyball programs is palpable, a feeling that only increases with the new facility. 

"There's a lot of energy about this season and about this program," Patterson said. "I certainly think this facility adds to the momentum that's here."

That momentum includes a conference championship for the indoor program, as well as a top five national finish for the beach team at the 2021 AVCA Small College Nationals. The beach team could find themselves ranked in the first NAIA Coaches' Poll, and play in easily the top conference in the nation for beach volleyball, the Sun Conference.

The ceremony also included comments from Patterson, interim president Roger Nutt, and Vice President of Institutional Advancement Tim Dockery. Nutt relayed an anecdote from University founder Tom Monaghan, remarking "The best thing you can do to help the cause of the University is to pursue excellence in your own job," and adding the volleyball programs had done just that.

Sophomore Zelie Kessler, who plays on both the indoor and beach teams, added the new beach complex will aid the Gyrenes in pursuing their goals on and off the court.

"It definitely pushes us to continue to pursue that mindset," Kessler said, "and be what we are supposed to be at Ave Maria, which is a community that's honoring God through our play."

Ave Maria's beach volleyball season currently includes five home dates, which are scheduled to begin on Feburary 19. On that date, the Gyrenes will host a Sun Conference tri-match with Warner University and Webber International University. That slate of games is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with a matchup between Webber and AMU, the first ever match on the new AMU Beach Volleyball Complex.