SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Outside hitter Nemo Beach was named the 2023 WCC Volleyball Freshman of the Year alongside seven total end-of-year WCC honors for San Diego, the West Coast Conference announced on Wednesday morning.

USD's Leyla Blackwell, Kylie Pries, and Amber Stivrins earned All-WCC First Team honors, followed by Haylee Stoner on the All-WCC Second Team. Beach earned an All-WCC Honorable Mention and a selection to the All-WCC Freshman Team in addition to her Freshman of the Year award.

Beach is San Diego's first WCC Freshman of the Year since 2019, when Grace Frohling was selected. She is the 10th Torero in program history to win the conference's top first-year honor.

The Chandler, Arizona native made an immediate impact in her college debut, totaling 185 kills (.202, 2.64 K/S) while playing in 24 of USD's 26 matches (70 sets) in 2023. She also added 31 blocks (two solo) and 36 digs.

Blackwell earned her third consecutive All-WCC First Team selection with yet another dynamic campaign in 2023, tallying a team-high 118 blocks (11 solo) alongside 205 kills (.329, 2.93 K/S) that ranked second on the San Diego roster. Her average of 1.30 blocks per set this season ranked second in the conference and 25th in the nation.

The San Diego, California native is a seven-time WCC Defensive Player of the Week (including two selections in 2023) and was named both a VolleyballMag.com All-America Honorable Mention and AVCA Pacific South All-Region Honorable Mention in 2022.

Pries captured her first career All-WCC First Team honor after putting together a well-rounded senior season, recording 204 kills (2.97 K/S), 29 service aces, 17 assists, 60 blocks (two solo), and 179 digs while playing in all 26 of the Toreros' matches in 2023. She was one of two USD players to tally two double-doubles this season.

The San Juan Capistrano, California native is a two-time WCC Offensive Player of the Week (including one selection in 2023) and was named an All-WCC Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2021.

Stivrins joined San Diego as a transfer from Georgia ahead of the 2023 season and quickly established herself as one of the WCC's most fearsome offensive players, racking up a team-high 297 kills (3.30 K/S) while leading the Toreros in service aces (30). She joined Pries in recording two doubles-doubles this year, making them the only San Diego players to do so.

The Scottsdale, Arizona native earned 2019 ACC All-Freshman Team honors at Louisville as she helped the Cardinals to the NCAA Elite Eight and was named the WCC Offensive Player of the Week on September 11, 2023.

Stoner earned her third consecutive season of WCC recognition with another productive campaign on both sides of the ball, totaling 96 blocks (six solo) and 46 digs to go with 153 kills, 14 service aces, and eight assists.

The San Marcos, California native was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team in 2021 before securing an All-WCC Honorable Mention in 2022. She is a two-time WCC Defensive Player of the Week.

USD finished the 2023 regular season with an overall record of 16-10, including a 12-4 mark in West Coast Conference play that placed them at third place in the league standings behind Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine.

2023 WEST COAST CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL END-OF-YEAR AWARDS

WCC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Nemo Beach, San Diego     
 
ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM
Meg Brown, Pepperdine
Leyla Blackwell, San Diego
Grace Chillingworth, Pepperdine
Alexa Edwards, Pacific
Kari Geissberger, LMU
Sam Hastings, LMU
Jenna Heller, Pacific
Birdie Hendrickson, Pepperdine
Biamba Kabengele, Pacific
Jacquelyn Moore, LMU
Riley Patterson, Pepperdine
Kylie Pries, San Diego
Michelle Shaffer, LMU
Amber Stivrins, San Diego
Kjersti Strong, Saint Mary's
Isabel Zelaya, Pepperdine
 
ALL-WCC SECOND TEAM
Isabella Bareford, LMU
Kristen Erland, Saint Mary's
Amethyst Harper, LMU
Emily Hellmuth, Pepperdine
Maui Robins, Portland
Haylee Stoner, San Diego
 
ALL-WCC HONORABLE MENTION
Oren Abutbul, Santa Clara
Genevieve Bane, Saint Mary's
Nemo Beach, San Diego
Makenna Joyce, Saint Mary's
Darina Kumanova, Pacific
Elin Larsson, Portland
Vanessa Polk, Pepperdine
Elena Radeff, Santa Clara
Ella Sandt, Saint Mary's
Zoe Thiros, Gonzaga
Sophia Tulino, Santa Clara
Emily Van Groningen, Pacific
 
ALL-WCC FRESHMAN TEAM
Nemo Beach, San Diego
Laine Briggs, Pepperdine
Nia Damuni, Gonzaga
Alyssa Eimer, Santa Clara
Taina Kaauwai, Portland
Zoe Morales, Pacific
Astrid Puig, San Francisco