North Alabama Lions beach volleyball

Last updated
North Alabama Beach Volleyball
North Alabama Athletics wordmark.svg
Founded2019
University University of North Alabama
Head coachKaleb VanDePerre (2nd season)
Conference ASUN
Location Florence, Alabama
Home arenaUNA Beach Volleyball Courts
Nickname Lions

The North Alabama Lions beach volleyball team represents the University of North Alabama in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They are currently led by head coach Kaleb VanDePerre and play their home games at the UNA Beach Volleyball Courts. [1]

Contents

History

Beach volleyball was added as a sport at UNA in 2019. It was added along with women's golf to keep the amount of sports sponsored at 14 as both women's indoor and outdoor track programs were discontinued. [2]

Bob White served as the first head coach of the program in 2019 as an addition to his duties as the indoor volleyball coach. [3] In the inaugural season, the Lions won their first match in a faceoff against the Huntingdon Hawks. [4] The Lions would also win their first ever home match against in-state rival Jacksonville State. [5]

In 2021, assistant coach Thais Yancey took over as head coach and led UNA to its first ever winning season. [6]

Before the 2023 season, Kaleb VanDePerre was brought on as the new head coach as Yancey returned to her previous position as assistant coach. VanDePerre, who was previously the head coach at Liberty University, was brought on in an effort to separate indoor and beach volleyball. [7]

In 2023, the Lions earned their first 20-win season. They made it to the ASUN quarterfinals where they lost to North Florida. [8] The year also saw the team's first All-ASUN First Team selection with the pair of Paula Klemperer and Taylor Seney. [9]

In 2024, the team won their first ever matches against Power 5 programs. The Lions sweep the Oregon Ducks 5–0 in the Green Wave Invitational in New Orleans. [10] They would also go on to sweep the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Tiger Beach Classic in Baton Rouge. [11]

2024 also saw the Lions set a new record for season wins as they finished 22–16. In the ASUN tournament, they made it to the semifinals before losing to FGCU. [12] [13]

The season also saw multiple honors awarded to the Lions. Coach VanDePerre won the ASUN Coach of the Year, which is the first time a coach at UNA has won the honor in the Division I era. Paula Klemperer and Taylor Seney was selected to the ASUN First Team for the second straight year. They were also joined by the pair of Katy Floyd and Selma Robinson. [14] [15]

UNA Beach Volleyball Courts

The Lions play their home matches at the UNA Beach Volleyball Courts. The courts were added to Cox Creek Park by the University in Fall 2018 with arrival of the sport to the school's athletic programs. [16]

The courts are adjacent to the Hilda B. Anderson Softball Complex, where the UNA softball team plays, and the Cox Creek Practice Field.

Season-by-season results

YearHead CoachOverall
record
Conference
record
Conference
standing
Postseason
Bob White ( ASUN )(2019–2020)
2019Bob White10–124-46th
2020Bob White5–74th
Thais Yancey ( ASUN )(2021–2022)
2021Thais Yancey12–100–24th
2022Thais Yancey16–145-56th
Kaleb VanDePerre ( ASUN )(2023–present)
2023Kaleb VanDePerre20–167–34th
2024Kaleb VanDePerre22–165–34th
2025Kaleb VanDePerre18–157–44th
Total103–9028-21

Source: [17] [18]

All-time records

Individual career wins

Records as of February 18, 2025 [19]

PlayerWinsYears Played
Paula Klemperer832019–2024
Mackenzie Martin812019–2024
Taylor Seney742020–2024
Katy Floyd672022–2024
Jelena Girod602021–2024

Pair career wins

Records as of February 18, 2025 [20]

PairWinsYears
Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney482022-24
Mackenzie Martin/Catie Ladner272021-22
Natalie Kordt/Jelena Girod252022-23
Katy Floyd/Selma Robinson252024
Mackenzie Martin/Katy Floyd222023

References

  1. "2024 Beach Volleyball Record Book" (PDF). UNA Athletics. March 14, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  2. "UNA TO ADD WOMEN'S GOLF, BEACH VOLLEYBALL". UNA Athletics. December 12, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  3. "Bob White". UNA Athletics. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  4. "BEACH VOLLEYBALL SPLITS MATCHES AT UAB BEACH BASH". UNA Athletics. February 23, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  5. "BEACH VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS JSU IN FIRST HOME MATCHES". UNA Athletics. March 30, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  6. "Thais Yancey". UNA Athletics. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  7. Tanner, Emma (2 February 2023). "Beach Volleyball Team Welcomes New Head Coach". The Flor-Ala. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  8. "BEACH LIONS STOPPED SHORT OF ASUN SEMIFINALS". UNA Athletics. April 22, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  9. "KLEMPERER AND SENEY EARN FIRST-TEAM ALL-ASUN". UNA Athletics. April 20, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  10. "Beach Volleyball earns first Power 5 win over Oregon". UNA Athletics. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  11. "Beach Volleyball highlights Tiger Beach Classic with sweep of Nebraska". UNA Athletics. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  12. "Beach Volleyball suffers setback to FGCU in ASUN Semifinal". UNA Athletics. April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  13. Glovach, David (April 26, 2024). "UNA beach volleyball falls in 2nd match of losers bracket in ASUN tournament". TimesDaily. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  14. "VanDePerre named ASUN Coach of the Year, four Lions land first team honors". UNA Athletics. April 23, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  15. Glovach, David (April 23, 2024). "UNA's VanDePerre named ASUN's coach of year". TimesDaily. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  16. Tanner, Emma (24 August 2018). "Off The Court And Into The Sand, Beach Volleyball Arrives". The Flor-Ala. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  17. "ASUN Beach Volleyball Record Book" (PDF). Atlantic Sun Conference. September 1, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  18. "2024 Beach Volleyball Schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  19. "2024-2025 Beach Volleyball Record Book" (PDF). UNA Athletics. August 26, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  20. "2024-2025 Beach Volleyball Record Book" (PDF). UNA Athletics. August 26, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.