CSUB Beach Volleyball Earns AVCA Top 20 Ranking

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The results of the Mar. 1 AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Top 20 Poll were announced Tuesday afternoon and the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners earned a spot on the shortlist of the nation's top programs. Fresh off an outstanding performance against tough competition on Opening Weekend, CSUB was tabbed No. 20 in the national rankings.

"I think this kind of accomplishment comes from planting the right seeds and doing the right things," said Cesar Benatti, Head Coach of the CSUB beach volleyball team. "This is a little result from a big process. The most important thing we try to drive home in our program is that we need to take care of the person next to us. Earning this ranking shows us that we're heading in the right direction, but it also means we have a big responsibility because we have to keep getting better each day."

Opening the season at home with the Barnes Beach Complex `Runner Invite last weekend, CSUB got the year off to a great start. The `Runners went 2-1 on the weekend, with the only loss of the tournament coming in a narrow, 3-2 decision against Pepperdine, which is also ranked in this week's poll at No. 15.

Bakersfield opened the season with an impressive, 4-1 victory over Vanguard University, which is the No. 1 ranked team in the NAIA. Before facing Pepperdine, the `Runners handed a 5-0 sweep to the Pacific Tigers.

After the solid weekend, Benatti said coaches across the country were taking notice of CSUB's strong start. The Bakersfield squad's appearance in the Top 20 poll on Tuesday marks the second such occasion as the `Runners cracked the poll at No. 19 during the 2014 season.

The `Runners enjoyed standout performances up and down the lineup, but the CSUB 3s and 4s pairs were rock solid in particular. Bakersfield's 4s pair of Anna Unke and Brooke Boiseau earned CSUB's first-ever Big West Conference Beach Volleyball Pair of the Week honors on Monday.

Benatti and his squad will return to action on Friday, Mar. 4, when CSUB hosts CSUN in a pair of home matches.

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau: 6' 1"; Sophomore

#12 Anna Unke: 5' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau
: 6' 1"; Sophomore

#12 Anna Unke
: 5' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau

#12 Anna Unke

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau

#12 Anna Unke