Unbeaten on the beach

Lady Demon volleyball coaches Brittany Uffelman and Dan Nowalk have proven quite the force this summer on the Galveston beaches.

They went 10-0 and won yet another tournament over the last weekend on the Gulf. Nowalk has been ranked as the No. 1 player in his age group in Texas. Not bad for a Pittsburgh native!

Along with the obvious recreational fun, playing in the beach tournaments in Galveston and Houston this summer has greatly expanded the Lady Demons' recruiting contacts. A lot of prep and AAU coaches line up in the sand all summer long.

Beach volleyball will have a more direct connection to the NSU program next spring. The Southland Conference has voted to hold its spring seasons outside on sand courts, not in the gym as has been the practice. These matches and tournaments are considered offseason scrimmages and the seniors from the fall season can't play, but they provide important experience for younger players to develop in roles they will fill in the following season.

Uffelman is considering sites for the NSU sand court.