2017 Beach Volleyball Preview:
|  Seniors  |  Juniors  |  Sophomores  |  Freshmen  |

The No. 5 UH beach volleyball team opens the season on Friday, March 3 in Arizona. We'll preview the 2017 squad all week, beginning today with the freshman class.
 
The 2017 roster is an expansive one with 28 players in all. Nearly a dozen of those players are incoming freshman, a star-studded class that includes four AVCA high school beach All-Americans.
 
It's two newcomers in particular though who are expected to make an immediate impact—Morgan Martin (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Maui native Amy Ozee. In December, the duo advanced to the quarterfinals of the USA Volleyball U21 Trials. It's unlikely they'll pair up at the start of the collegiate season, but both should be integral cogs in the SandBows' lineup. 
 
Martin arrived on the Manoa campus as perhaps the program's most heralded recruit ever. Two years ago she claimed gold in the inaugural FIVB U17 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Acapulco, Mexico. She then wrapped up her high school career as one of just six players named to 2016 AVCA Beach All-America first team.
 
"Morgan is the total package," head coach Jeff Hall said. "She has an impressive beach volleyball IQ for a freshman and consistently plays all facets of the game at a very high level. She'll be an immediate impact player on the national stage and is poised to be a big contributor on this year's team."
 
Ozee, a Seabury Hall graduate, is a former state high jump champion and a gold medalist at the 2016 Pan Pacific Tournament. In November she made an impressive debut for UH by picking up a pair of exhibition wins against UCLA in the Pacific Rim Championships.
 
"Amy is like a breath of fresh air," Hall said. "She is routinely the first in and last out of practice and her extra effort is paying off. She's a tough server, excellent hand setter, and a force to be reckoned with at the net. We're excited to see all the ways she makes us better this year."
 
All-America U: Beside Martin, Cali Bunn, Chloe Luyties, and Emma Smith were also 2016 AVCA beach high school All-Americans, each earning honorable mention. Smith spent the fall as a serving specialist with the indoor team.

In the Wings: Julia Chizanskos, Cyrene Hertzog, Sydney Kidd round out the decorated recruiting class. Regan Hurkett and indoor players Kirsten Sibley and Norene Iosia also join the squad this year. Last fall, Sibley started at outside hitter for the Rainbow Wahine during the early portion of the season. Iosia was an all-Big West first team setter as a true freshman and is already showing signs that she's ready to excel on the beach as well.