Beach volleyball hosts alumni

Saturday, February 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

9 a.m.

Grand Canyon

GCU Alumni Match

2/10/2020 10:30:00 AM | Beach Volleyball

Match draws return of 9 former Lopes

By: Sierra Smith

The Grand Canyon beach volleyball program hosted its annual alumni match on Saturday with nine alumni returning to scrimmage the current Lopes.

The GCU alumni included former All-Americans Molly Turner and Mackenzie Ponnet (Phelps), as well as Jamie Walsh, Chloe Jenkins, Tyanna Roy, Jordyn Sanchez, Kami Dickerson, Brooke Martinez (Razo) and Maggie Frew (DeMore).

"It's always so much fun having our alumni back," Lopes head coach Kristen Rohr said. "I am so proud of the people they are becoming and love following their success in life. That is one of the greatest joys of coaching is staying in touch with my players who have graduated."

Turner and Ponnet, who play professionally on the AVP Tour, returned to GCU and shared how their experiences playing for Rohr helped them transition into the pros.

"Throughout the years, I gained more knowledge about the stuff that we don't hear about in the pros." Turner said. "In the pros, the coaching is pretty simple. When I went to GCU, it was very creative."

Ponnet added, "The thing I took away from being coached by Kristen and Joe (Rohr) here at GCU is running plays. It really opens up the court and it's so much more fun. Just taking that knowledge into the pro level helped me start at a really good spot already and now I'm just growing with the information they gave me here. I only had Kristen and Joe for a year and I still wouldn't have been where I am today without their coaching and their guidance."

They continue to reach out to Rohr, who gives advice for their careers and lives as she leads the Lopes program.

"It's one of the most rewarding parts of being a coach," Rohr said. "Coaching is so much more than volleyball but to see the passion they still have for the sport and the relationships with their teammates they have maintained is really awesome."

Walsh, a 2019 graduate, played her final two seasons at GCU after coming in as a transfer.

"GCU beach provided me with the platform to grow as a player but more importantly as a person," Walsh said. "The coaches were really hard on me at times because they knew I had the skills to be great. They just needed to bring it out of me. Being a woman in sports has also given me an incredible amount of confidence. I am super thankful for what this school had to offer, and will always be proud to be an an alumni of Grand Canyon."

Jenkins, a 2017 graduate, was also a member of the indoor volleyball team and worked in GCU athletics after graduation.

"I am beyond grateful for my years spent at GCU, both as a student-athlete and as an employee in the athletics department," Jenkins said. "GCU cultivates a family atmosphere and I truly felt like when I was done playing, that my teammates (and other student-athletes) had turned to lifelong friends and my coaches were mentors that are such a huge part of my life even now."

The current Lopes open the season on Feb. 22 against Cal and Saint Mary's in Moraga, California.

"I am so excited about our current team and getting this season going," Rohr said. "Our athletes have worked so hard and just keep getting better."