SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo beach volleyball program will begin year number three this weekend under the direction of first year head coach Michael Shearer. The Lions open up at the site of the 2020 AVCA Small College Beach Championship with a pair of neutral site matches Saturday against Warner and Lake Sumter.
 
The Lions went 12-14 last season and will meet both Warner and Lake Sumter for the first time in program history. The pair of matches kick-off a streak of 10-straight matches away from the home confines of the Saint Leo Beach Volleyball Courts. The Lions will open up the home portion of their schedule Monday, March 2 against Erskine and UT Martin beginning at noon.
 
Senior Amber Lake and junior Nina Vattovaz teamed up to capture a team-best 12 victories last season. Three other duos earned 11 victories on the year. The 2020 roster has grown to include 17 individuals which opens up the possibility of differing line-ups and partners during each match.
 
Head coach Michael Shearer will use the early season match-ups to evaluate his line-up and see who works well with who under adversity of live action. Some names who could vie for those top two or three pairs slots include Vattovaz and junior Brooke Turner who have been with the program since the start. Some other notable names include sophomore Payton Bellano, redshirt sophomore Anna Garrett, sophomore Arlaina Stephenson and freshman Marissa Rakauskas.
 
The first familiar foe on the schedule comes February 15 when the Lions face Webber International. The Lions defeated the Warriors 4-1 last season.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo beach volleyball team be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.