Hatters Head West For Four Matches Against Ranked Foes

Sammee Thomas and Rachel Noble Return to Home State

The Stetson beach volleyball team will travel to California to compete in a pair of double duals this week at Long Beach State and Southern Cal.

On Wednesday, the Hatters will face No. 8 Long Beach State (1:30 p.m. ET) and No. 12 Loyola Marymount (3:30 p.m. ET) at the LBSU Sand Courts in Long Beach.

On Thursday, Stetson will face Long Beach State again (3:20 p.m. ET) followed by a matchup against No. 2 USC (5 p.m. ET) at Merle Norman Stadium in Los Angeles.

The 15th-ranked Hatters (3-1) will be making their third trip out west in the past three years and their second swing to California.

"We've got some good games and some good matchups," Stetson head coach Kristina Hernandez said. "I think there has been a lot of good competition going on this season, and it's becoming clear that everyone's entire schedule is going to play a big factor into the end of the season, so these games can only help us in the long run. I think they are good matchups for us, so I'm excited for us to get back out to California."

Stetson is also ready to get back on the sand as the Hatters have not played a match since Feb. 23.

"We've had a lot of time to prepare for the different style of play we are going to see out there, so we are really focusing on our offense and what we want to do in terms of our execution," Hernandez said.

Seniors Sammee Thomas (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Rachel Noble (Carlsbad, Calif.) will have the opportunity to play back in their home state. Thomas will also be competing against her former school, LBSU, as she competed for the 49ers from 2015-16.

"I know Sammee is excited to play at her old school, and I am glad both she and Rachel get to play at home one last time," Hernandez said.

Stetson is 0-5 all-time vs. USC, including two meetings in the AVCA Beach Championships in 2014 and 2015. The Hatters are also seeking their first wins over Loyola Marymount (series: 0-2) and Long Beach State (series: 0-1).

Follow @StetsonBeach on Twitter for the latest team updates. Match results will be posted on GoHatters.com.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.

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