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 conclude our preview of the 2017 squad with a look at this year's seniors.
 
After three straight years of going to the team nationals, this year's senior class will have their final shot at the ultimate prize – an NCAA championship.
 
The return of Nikki Taylor, a two-time AVCA beach All-American, gives the Rainbow Wahine a huge boost in reaching that goal. In December, the 6-4 Taylor suffered a foot injury during the indoor squad's second round NCAA Tournament match. That injury put her final beach season in doubt. But less than two months later, Taylor was back on the beach to open spring training with her SandBow teammates.
 
"Nikki is a Warrior in every sense of the word," head coach Jeff Hall said. "She's battled tested like few others. For the first time in her career she's training beach only and make no mistake – she's in it to bring home a championship. Her leadership, experience, and ability will be critical to our success versus the best teams in the nation."
 
Another three-year letterwinner returning is Mikayla Tucker, a member of last year's all-Big West second team. No Rainbow Wahine ended 2016 stronger than Tucker, who along with departed partner Ginger Long, won 11 of their last 13 matches together. At the NCAA championships the pair helped UH to a pair of team victories and were named to the all-tournament team after going 3-1 at the No. 3 flight.  The 5-foot-8 Tucker has been a starter during each season of her career at UH and figures to play prominently at the top of the UH lineup.
 
"Mikayla has become a quiet leader in our program," Hall said. "She wants to win and comes to work every day. Over the years, she's proven herself again and again in big moments. We can rely on her expert ball control and high level read of the game to pull us through our toughest times."
 
The Rainbow Wahine added a new big to the roster this year in 6-3 Annie Mitchem. Mitchem, a first-team all-conference middle hitter for the UH indoor squad, does have beach experience having previously played for Tom Pestolesi at Irvine Valley College.
 
"Annie is a big-time athlete," Hall said. "She plays way above the net and is showing steady improvement in the skill side of the game. We're excited for what the next few months will bring and look forward to seeing her compete before the season is through."
 
Tayler Higgins makes her return to the sand after taking a two-year hiatus. The Honolulu product was a member of the 2014 squad that made the program's first team appearance at the AVCA Nationals, going a combined 11-2 at the No. 4 and 5 flights. After devoting herself as the starting setter on the indoor volleyball squad, she's back in the mix on the beach.
 
"Higgs is a great team player and teammate," Hall said. "She pushes us every day and is already a vocal leader of our squad. Her experience as a captain on the indoor side really shines through and we're lucky that she decided to wind up her career back on the beach with us. "
 
Sydney Shinn begins her senior season with hopes of a strong finish. The Florida native has battled through injury and has appeared in nine career matches in her first three seasons.

"Sydney has overcome a lot of injuries and it's nice to see her healthy and grooving in her last year," Hall said. "She's a great setting blocker that can play both sides if we need her too."