Iowa Central Announces Addition of Women's Beach Volleyball
Known for leading the way in athletic program offerings, Iowa Central Community College has announced the addition of Women's Beach Volleyball to their Triton athletic lineup starting in the fall of 2026.
Beach volleyball is one of the fastest-growing collegiate sports in the United States and Iowa Central Athletic Director, Guy Horn, is excited that the Tritons will be the first junior college in the state of Iowa to offer it. "There's a different kind of energy when you know you're the first," said Horn. "You get to set the tone, create a culture, and leave a legacy for others to follow."
Establishing a women's beach volleyball program at Iowa Central presents a valuable opportunity to enrich the athletic experience for students and to enhance the overall vibrancy of the campus community.
"Iowa Central has been a historical leader in NJCAA athletics," said Iowa Central President, Jesse Ulrich. "We are honored to lead the way in approving Women's Beach Volleyball in the state of Iowa and look forward to the benefits this will bring to our student-athletes."
Creating a unique offering within our region, Women's Beach Volleyball will be a spring season sport which will add to visibility of Triton Athletics outside of the traditional fall/winter sports and give a dual-sport opportunity to our indoor volleyball student-athletes.
Current Triton Volleyball Coach, Sara Horn, and Assistant Coach, Gabby Marker, will be leading the way in laying the groundwork for the new program.
"We're really excited about adding Women's Beach Volleyball. In addition to the new training opportunities our players will get, it provides potential student athletes a chance to play a new sport that is growing rapidly in popularity," said Horn. "With consistent growth in youth volleyball participation, we've seen many youth beach volleyball clubs popping up in Iowa and surrounding states, and we're excited to give girls the opportunity to continue playing at the college level!"
The growth of beach volleyball in Iowa includes junior club opportunities through the Iowa Volleyball Region in Cedar Falls, Grimes, Des Moines, Holstein, Davenport, Marion, and Waterloo. The Iowa Volleyball Region is a member of the USA Volleyball Organization.
"This a huge step forward for our athletes and our campus. Being the first junior college to add beach volleyball in Iowa shows our dedication to growth, opportunity, and staying in the forefront of the sport," said Marker. "We're proud of where our program is headed and incredibly appreciative of our administration for giving us the tools and support to make this a reality."
"Every great journey starts with a single step. That step then becomes a leap toward growth and something bigger than yourself," said Horn (Guy). "This is a great opportunity for our current staff to grow, develop, and lead the program to new heights."
If you are interested in learning more about the Women's Beach Volleyball program at Iowa Central, please contact Sara Horn at horn_s@iowacentral.edu or 515-574-1339.