By Stevie Corio and Nick Romeo — Reporters
New beginnings. Growing pains. Focus.
Those are the vibes around the San Jose State beach volleyball team.
SJSU Athletics announced Wednesday that Trent Kersten will take over as head coach of the volleyball program.
“I am fired up to work with our current Spartan student-athletes,” Kersten said to SJSU Athletics.
Kersten, a former recruiting coordinator at Texas Christian University, helped the Horned Frogs reach postseason play in four of the past five seasons.
The shift to Kersten came suddenly.
After serving just one season as a volunteer assistant coach, Delainey Gregory took the reigns of Spartan beach alongside her husband, Taylor Gregory.
“The girls have done a really great job at focusing a lot on the process out here,” Gregory said on Feb. 22. “They have done a great job at switching their mindset and focusing on what we can control.”
The team is currently in beach season and playing on the newly installed courts at South Campus.
“It feels amazing,” senior Caitlin Bettenay said. “We’re so blessed to have these courts. It has allowed us to prepare a lot better compared to last season.”
The Spartans won four of their first five matches of the season that included wins over UC Davis, Oregon and Santa Clara all on home sand. It has been the best start to a season in program history.
On Day 1 individually, Kaitlynn Zdroik and Bettenay won both matches and pair Tabea Schwarz and Thaliana Grajeda swept their opponent as well.
Ryann Thomison and Summer Vercruyssen had a tough match that resulted in three close matches, but came out with a victory.
The Spartans did eventually drop a match to Grand Canyon University in a 4-0 result. It marked the first loss of the short-lived Gregory Era.
“We are just focusing on getting better every single day and focusing on the things we can control,” said senior Caitlin Bettenay on the coaching situation.
It was almost déjà vu for the team, given it would have been another married couple at the helm. For the previous seven seasons, the Spartans were led by husband and wife duo Jolene and Aaron Shepardson.
They have decided to continue their coaching careers at her alma mater, the University of South Florida.
“I want to thank Jolene and Aaron Shepardson for guiding our volleyball programs these last seven years,” said athletic director Marie Tuite to SJSU Athletics. “I am excited for coach Kersten to lead this new era of Spartan Volleyball.”
The team has expressed positive thoughts about the decisions that the Shepardson’s made to continue their coaching careers.
“I’m really happy for her,” junior Ryann Thomison said. “Coaching switches happen all the time, and her family is out there and it is a really good opportunity for her.”
Despite the coaching carousel, Kersten will inherit a promising group of athletes.
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