Two CSUN Pairs Named to 2023 All-Big West Beach Volleyball Team
5/3/2023 8:34:00 AM | Beach Volleyball
IRVINE, Calif. - For the fourth time in seven seasons, the CSUN Beach Volleyball team had multiple pairs honored on the All-Big West Team as the Matadors' Abbey Sweeting and Gabriela Griego earned second team honors while Lauren Eknoian and Tasha Mae were named honorable mention as the 2023 Big West Beach Volleyball All-Conference team was announced on Tuesday (May 2).
Sweeting and Griego, CSUN's No. 5 pair primarily, finished the 2023 season with a program record 20 wins. The pair went 15-8 in the No. 5 slot and also finished with a 3-3 record at No. 4 and 2-1 in the No. 6 pair. With 20 wins as a pair, Sweeting and Griego broke the single season record of 18 wins held by three CSUN pairs (Kailey Klein-Victoria Rogers, Taylor Brydon-Lauren McMurray and Aeryn Owens-Katie Sato).
Individually, both Sweeting and Griego won 21 times which matches Rogers single-season record from 2022 when she also won 21 times.
Eknoian and Mae were also one of four CSUN pairs to earn double figure wins this season. Playing primarily in the No. 1 pair for the first time this season, Eknoian and Mae won 17 times in their first season as a pair, winning all 17 matches in the No. 1 seed as they finished the season with an overall record of 17-16.
"I'm really proud of how hard Abbey and Gaby and Lauren and Tasha worked all year," said CSUN beach coach Ari Homayun. "All the time they spent getting extra reps and watching film paid off. Incredibly deserving group of girls, and I'm so excited they are all returning!"
CSUN has now had 11 pairs named all-conference in seven seasons of Big West beach volleyball. Klein and Rogers and Eknoian and Emily Sparks earned honorable mention honors in 2022, Darbi Honeycutt and Mikaela Maughan earned honorable mention honors in 2021 while Brydon and McMurray (honorable mention) joined Honeycutt and Maughan on the 2020 All-Big West Team. Sato and Owens earned second team honors in 2018 while Sato also earned honorable mention honors with Lauren Conati in 2016. Maddie Leiphardt and Nicki Williams also picked up second team accolades in 2017 while Leiphardt and Julie Haake were the Matadors' first-ever second team recipients in 2016.Â
CSUN finished the 2023 season with a 17-16 overall record which tied the record for most season wins in program history.
#GoMatadors
Sweeting and Griego, CSUN's No. 5 pair primarily, finished the 2023 season with a program record 20 wins. The pair went 15-8 in the No. 5 slot and also finished with a 3-3 record at No. 4 and 2-1 in the No. 6 pair. With 20 wins as a pair, Sweeting and Griego broke the single season record of 18 wins held by three CSUN pairs (Kailey Klein-Victoria Rogers, Taylor Brydon-Lauren McMurray and Aeryn Owens-Katie Sato).
Individually, both Sweeting and Griego won 21 times which matches Rogers single-season record from 2022 when she also won 21 times.
Eknoian and Mae were also one of four CSUN pairs to earn double figure wins this season. Playing primarily in the No. 1 pair for the first time this season, Eknoian and Mae won 17 times in their first season as a pair, winning all 17 matches in the No. 1 seed as they finished the season with an overall record of 17-16.
"I'm really proud of how hard Abbey and Gaby and Lauren and Tasha worked all year," said CSUN beach coach Ari Homayun. "All the time they spent getting extra reps and watching film paid off. Incredibly deserving group of girls, and I'm so excited they are all returning!"
CSUN has now had 11 pairs named all-conference in seven seasons of Big West beach volleyball. Klein and Rogers and Eknoian and Emily Sparks earned honorable mention honors in 2022, Darbi Honeycutt and Mikaela Maughan earned honorable mention honors in 2021 while Brydon and McMurray (honorable mention) joined Honeycutt and Maughan on the 2020 All-Big West Team. Sato and Owens earned second team honors in 2018 while Sato also earned honorable mention honors with Lauren Conati in 2016. Maddie Leiphardt and Nicki Williams also picked up second team accolades in 2017 while Leiphardt and Julie Haake were the Matadors' first-ever second team recipients in 2016.Â
CSUN finished the 2023 season with a 17-16 overall record which tied the record for most season wins in program history.
#GoMatadors
Players Mentioned
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
A Conversation With Noelle Rooke
Tuesday, May 26
Beach Volleyball Relocation
Wednesday, July 18
Erin Indermill S-A Week Spotlight
Friday, April 13
Lauren Conati Spotlight S-A Week
Wednesday, April 11