MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball has announced its complete 2022 beach schedule, set to begin on February 25. The Gaels have a full slate of matches on tap, including seven home matches, seven West Coast Conference matches, and four tournaments, culminating in the 2022 West Coast Conference Championship.
 
STATE OF ALOHA
Saint Mary's officially kicks off the 2022 beach season by returning to Hawaii for the first time since 2019 as they play in the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic. The Gaels were scheduled to go to Hawaii in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the remainder of the season down. The Gaels will face some of the top competition in the country in Hawaii, UCLA, and Stanford, with all three teams finishing last season ranked inside the top-13 in the country. UCLA finished as the runner-up in the 2021 NCAA Championship, losing to Pac-12 rival USC 3-1. The Bruins have won two of the five NCAA Beach Volleyball National Championships, giving the Gaels plenty of chances to play the best-of-the-best to begin the year.
 
HOME SAND
Saint Mary's returns from Hawaii to host their first home beach match of the new year, as they welcome in San Jose State on March 1. The Gaels have seven scheduled home matches in 2022 across six home dates. WCC opponents in Pacific (Mar. 16), Santa Clara (Apr. 19), and San Francisco (Apr. 21) will all come to Moraga, in addition to Cal on April 16. SMC will host one doubleheader on March 22 when they welcome in Feather River College and Sierra College for two matches, beginning at 12:00 pm. Saint Mary's has never lost to either opponent.
 
TOURNEY TIME!
After the season-opening tournament in Hawaii, the Gaels will play in three additional tournaments, with the final one being the WCC Championship. The annual WCC/Big West Challenge begins on March 5, and during the 2020 season, the Gaels met Sacramento State, CSU Bakersfield, and CSUN. Opponents for the WCC/Big West Challenge will be announced at a later date, as will opponents for the WCC Midseason Invitational. Last year, the Gaels went 3-1, only losing to fifth-ranked Loyola Marymount. This season's WCC Midseason Tournament will be in Santa Cruz on March 25-26, five weeks before the WCC Championship.