Through local supporters and Cal Poly volleyball alumni, the Cal Poly beach volleyball team is working on efforts to provide six fully funded scholarships for the 2018-19 school year.
Cal Poly opens its third beach volleyball season this weekend and it will be the second year with Olympic medalist Todd Rogers as the head coach.
Rogers has participated in three Olympic Games, including, the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where he won a gold medal, and the 2012 Olympics in London.
Rogers came to Cal Poly to help build a championship program, which will greatly benefit from the scholarships.
“I am very excited that we already have three out of the six scholarships in place thanks to the generosity of our donors,” said Rogers. “I have no doubt that with the great support of our Cal Poly community, the beach volleyball program will continue to grow and reach its full potential.”
Three of the six scholarships have already been funded with the help of Darren Smith, Tracy and John Ronca, and Mark Woolpert. John Ronca and Woolpert are both Cal Poly alumni.
“With the NCAA adding beach volleyball as a championship sport, we were excited to hear of Cal Poly’s participation,” said Smith. “The hiring of a coach with the reputation of Todd Rogers displayed Cal Poly’s commitment to winning and being a national contender. With our restaurants in Pismo Beach, it was a natural fit for us to support this new program.”
“What made us want to make an investment in beach volleyball, is helping women student-athletes in the newest sport at Cal Poly after hearing the vision Coach Todd Rogers has for a nationally competitive team,” said Tracy Ronca.
The Mustangs kick off their season Thursday, March 2, against CSU Bakersfield and UCLA at Pismo Beach.
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