SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo beach volleyball team returns to the AVCA Small College Beach Championship this weekend after the 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions won the Silver Bracket back in 2019 in their last appearance at the event. Saint Leo will open up competition in Pool B with Spring Hill, Eckerd and Tusculum rounding out the group.
 
The tournament will begin with pool play on Friday and Saturday before the Challenge Round Saturday afternoon which will determine which teams move on to the Silver and Gold Brackets on Sunday.  
 
Saint Leo will be joined at the tournament by Tampa, Florida Southern, Eckerd, and Palm Beach Atlantic out of the Sunshine State Conference.
 
The Lions opening day begins with a 10 a.m. match against Tusculum. At 2 p.m. the Green and Gold will face Eckerd to end their opening day. Saint Leo closes out Pool Play Saturday at noon with a match against Spring Hill.
 
Saint Leo concluded the 2020 regular season with a program best 10 victories to go along with just two defeats. The Lions were led by their top two duos including seniors Brooke Turner and Nina Vattovaz who went 6-3 on the year including 4-3 at No. 1. Juniors Sydney Omtvedt and Arlaina Stephenson boast the top record on the team at 8-2 including 3-0 at No. 1 and 5-2 at No. 2. No. 3 team LeeAnn Potter and Lina Russo are 5-2 this season while Aliya Fredette-Huffman and Ally-Reese Williams have seen the most action at No. 4 and are 4-1 this season.
 
Tusculum has played just seven matches this season and went 3-4 in those competitions. The Pioneers enter the tournament having dropped four-straight. Eckerd heads to the Championship with a 3-12 mark including a 3-2 loss to Saint Leo early in the season. The Tritons have dropped four-straight heading into the tournament. Spring Hill boasts a 13-8 mark this season and is riding a three-match winning streak.   
 
Saint Leo went 2-3 at the 2018 AVCA Small College Beach Championship with wins over Lincoln Memorial and Florida Southern before going 4-3 at the 2019 event including taking the Sliver Bracket with wins over Stevenson and Florida Southern.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on Saint Leo beach volleyball, 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.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.