Concordia beach volleyball is receiving national recognition, following a historic victory over Pepperdine and strong performances in recent tournaments. The beach volleyball team looks to keep making positive strides in their season within the next month.

Junior Kelia Giusta opened up about the team’s recent success. Giusta said, “The Pepperdine win was a very big deal for our team and beach program. We have put so much effort, mentally and physically, into this team to get to this point. It shows us that there is a reward for all the time and effort we put into this program.”

Giusta added, “Our team chemistry has been stronger this year than any past years I’ve been here at Concordia. The team has been hardworking and eager to win.” With the recent successes, Giusta believes they are “finally getting the respect they deserve” as they continue to pull off major upsets.

Giusta’s pair, Gabrielle Reinking, a junior, gave some insights about the team. Reinking said the team “committed to the culture and the hard work needed to produce victory on and off the court.” She added, “Whether it was weights, practice or the classroom, everyone holds each other accountable.”

Reinking said that the captains are keeping the team rolling with their energy, and the coaches are helping with drills, mindful activities and film. Reinking added, “This school and team has a lot of talent, [she also believes they] will bump up in the rankings.” 

Korah Nordin, sophomore, explained they are getting ready for their upcoming tournament. Nordin said, “Our mindset and goal heading into the LBSU tournament this weekend is to not underestimate ourselves.” Nordin added they “created a team mantra at the start of the season: to pursue history with excellence and confidence.”

With a strong start to the season, the team has fulfilled their mantra with wins against Pepperdine, CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield. “Receiving votes in the national AVCA poll last week was a huge deal for us. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish next,” said Nordin. This was the first time in the program’s history that they have received votes in the AVCA coaches poll.

The beach volleyball team gets ready to take on teams like Tarleton State and Boise State in the LBSU tournament this coming weekend. They play two games on Sat., March 15, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. And two games on Sun., March 16, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. They will all be played in Long Beach: Saturday at the Long Beach Sand Courts, and Sunday at Rosie’s Dog Beach. Make sure to follow @cuigoldeneagles and @cuibeach on Instagram for updates and the latest announcements for their 2025 season.

Tags: volleyball, sports, Beach Volleyball

---

About Makamae Du Pont

More articles by Makamae Du Pont