The history of NCAA beach volleyball begins with UAB. In 2012, in Birmingham, the Blazers hosted Florida State in the first-ever NCAA-sanctioned beach volleyball match.
Today, beach volleyball is the fastest growing sport in college athletics. And UAB continues to play a key role as host of the NCAA national championship—held in Gulf Shores, Alabama—since 2016. The Blazers also recently unveiled a five-court beach volleyball complex on campus and are following up on a 14-win season, the best in program history. Head coach Kyra Iannone shares some insights from the sand:
Coach Kyra Iannone (center) meets with student-athletes during a break in a beach volleyball match.
Tell us about yourself. What drew you to Birmingham from Vancouver?
Iannone: I’ve been coaching professionally since 2007, both indoor college volleyball and running my own beach volleyball club. [She coached some of her athletes all the way to multiple FIVB World Championships.] In 2016 I took an assistant coaching job at Arizona. The next year, UAB called me. I didn’t know where that was initially, but I could tell UAB was invested in beach volleyball.
How has the sport evolved on the college level?
Iannone: It’s growing so fast. Every coach I talk with, there’s something exciting going on within their program, whether it’s new facilities or hiring more full-time assistants. It’s a great time to be part of the sport.
Is your team enjoying its new digs (pun intended)?
Iannone: Our old courts were hidden. The biggest comment I used to get from people around Birmingham was, “Oh, UAB has a beach volleyball team?” Now we’re across the street from the new football facility, so everybody sees the courts. It’s a great space with great sand.
Inside a serve: In the video above, Coach Kyra Iannone and student-athletes Brittney Munro and Abbey Thorup reveal the factors and calculations that go into the most important plays of the game.
What do you expect from this year’s team?
Iannone: We have 10 freshmen and eight returners. It’s a young team, but very talented. I can see all our freshmen trying to get a spot on the starting lineup this year.
Who are some key players to watch?
Ianonne: A senior from Florida, Kenley Adams, was the starting setter for UAB’s indoor volleyball team. She’s an outstanding leader and one of our best blockers. A freshman, Abbey Thorup, represented Canada at the FIVB Youth World Championships. She’s been outstanding in practice and has an amazing career ahead of her. And then we have a transfer, Kayla Heese, whose dad is Mark Heese, a three-time Olympian and 1996 bronze medalist for Canada. She’s going to make a big difference with her professionalism, mental toughness, and the way she sees the game.
How do you prepare for competition?
Iannone: We start out heavy in the gym, because you need a good base level of fitness in our sport. You have to be quick, you have to jump well, and you have to be powerful. It’s about 3-to-1 in terms of time spent on fitness versus skill development. As we get closer to the season, it goes in the other direction with more skill training. There’s a lot to learn. You have to excel at everything in our sport, because there are only two players on the court at a time.
How valuable is it to have UAB hosting the NCAA Tournament through at least 2022?
Iannone: It shows the commitment of our administration and our school to this sport. It shows that we value, invest in, and care about our sport. There isn’t a bigger stage in college than the national championship. It sends a big message.
Blazer student-athletes leap for the ball during a match at the new beach volleyball complex on campus.