Photo by: Jeff Golden
Pair of All-American Alumni Join the Beach Volleyball Coaching Ranks
8/17/2021 2:52:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. – Head Coach Marcio Sicoli brought in a pair of All-American Pepperdine beach volleyball alums on to the sidelines for the upcoming 2022 season, welcoming back Delaney Mewhirter ('17) as assistant coach and Deahna Kraft ('20) as volunteer assistant coach.
"I'm extremely happy Delaney is joining our staff again," said Sicoli. "Our players will gain so much on and off the court with her experience and expertise. Delaney is a perfect role model for what our program needs now and for the years to come!"
Mewhirter (née Knudsen) brings a wealth of knowledge to the program, both as a former collegiate student-athlete and currently as a professional competing at the highest level of physical and mental performance. Since 2019, she has been competing in the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) while living and training in Hermosa Beach, Calif. An excellent competitor all-around, Mewhirter has earned top-10 finishes as both a blocker and a defender throughout her career thus far. Along with her high-level performances, Mewhirter has committed to managing practices and strength training schedules and maintaining sponsor relationships.
"I've been a part of the Waves family for so many years now, as a player and as a volunteer," said Mewhirter. "I feel so prepared and excited to be able to make a bigger impact in this new role. I am looking forward to contributing to the beach program as a whole, and developing and strengthening relationships with each of the athletes on the team to help them achieve their highest potential."
Mewhirter played for Pepperdine from 2014-17, she earned AVCA and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors after the Waves' NCAA Championship runner-up finish in 2017 and was a part of the AVCA National Championship winning team in 2014 as a freshman. She was an All-WCC first teamer in 2016 and 2017 and throughout her career marked an 81-31 overall record for a .723 winning percentage. Her career wins currently ranks 6th in the Pepperdine beach volleyball record books. She saw action on courts one through four throughout her time in the navy and orange, notably collecting 20-12, 23-7 and 26-5 in the No. 1, 2 and 3 positions respectively. White at Pepperdine, Mewhirter was also a Team Captain for two seasons and served on the Waves Leadership Council.
From 2018 to 2020, she served as an Administrative Assistant and Tournament Directory for p1440 in El Segundo, Calif., managing communications across the beach volleyball development program, coordinating a player evaluation system for the distribution of sponsorship funds and organizing and directing monthly tournaments.
After her graduation from Pepperdine in 2017, Mewhirter had quickly joined the Waves' beach volleyball sidelines, serving alongside former head coach Nina Matthies and current head coach Marcio Sicoli from then until June 2020. She also coached indoor and beach volleyball for Oaks Volleyball Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. during that time.
Apart from her numerous coaching and professional jobs, Mewhirter has put an effort in the areas of skill development and leadership, serving as a Member of the Junior National Beach Volleyball A1 Team since 2011, training with internationally experienced coaches and representing the USA at both the U19 and U21 World Championships. She was a Youth Group Advisor for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Malibu, Calif. for six years beginning in 2015, teaching Sunday school lessons and overseeing progress on spiritual development projects.
As if playing for high school and collegiate volleyball teams wasn't busy enough, Mewhirter also earned her private license as a single-engine aircraft pilot at the California Flight School in Van Nuys, Calif. in 2014.
Kraft graduated from Pepperdine in 2020 after having played for the Waves for four seasons, though her senior campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time competing on the sand for Pepperdine, she earned AVCA, DiG Magazine and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors, garnered a 2018 West Coast Conference Defender of the Year nod and was a two-time All-WCC first teamer.
"I'm really happy to have Deahna returning to our program," said Sicoli. "She is an extraordinary person, competitor and role model for our team. I'm thankful for her volunteering her time with us and coaching our players at the highest level on and off the court."
She finished her career in the navy and orange with a 67-30 (.691) overall record, including 15 wins in the top-spot, a 26-10 record in the No. 2 position and a 26-6 output from the No. 4 slot. Her 67 wins currently ranks 11th in the Pepperdine beach volleyball career record books. She helped lead her squad to two-straight WCC Championship crowns and a pair of top-five finishes in the NCAA Tournament, including the runner-up finish in 2017.
"I am super excited to join the Waves this year," said Kraft. "I feel honored to have the opportunity to work and learn from an Olympic level coach such as Marcio and I look forward to bringing positive energy and a strong desire to achieve excellence to the program."
After graduating from Pepperdine, she spent her final year of eligibility getting a Master's degree in Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from University of Wisconsin, Madison, while playing for the Badgers' indoor program. The Badgers ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for most of the 2020 season, which was played in the Spring of 2021, finishing with an impressive 18-1 overall record, an undefeated season in the Big Ten and a NCAA Championship semifinal appearance.
Kraft has been putting her education to good use in the coaching arena, studying the Foundations of Coaching, taught by world-renown volleyball coach and Pepperdine's Head Coach Emeritus Marv Dunphy, who recently helped Team USA indoor women's volleyball to a gold medal finish in the 2020 Olympic Games.
FOLLOW
Follow @WavesBeachVB on Facebook and Twitter for updates and check on PepperdineWaves.com for full results, recaps and more. Follow @peppbeachvolley on Instagram for an inside look at the Waves' team culture and check out @PepperdineWaves for the scoop on all the Waves' programs throughout the year.
"I'm extremely happy Delaney is joining our staff again," said Sicoli. "Our players will gain so much on and off the court with her experience and expertise. Delaney is a perfect role model for what our program needs now and for the years to come!"
Mewhirter (née Knudsen) brings a wealth of knowledge to the program, both as a former collegiate student-athlete and currently as a professional competing at the highest level of physical and mental performance. Since 2019, she has been competing in the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) while living and training in Hermosa Beach, Calif. An excellent competitor all-around, Mewhirter has earned top-10 finishes as both a blocker and a defender throughout her career thus far. Along with her high-level performances, Mewhirter has committed to managing practices and strength training schedules and maintaining sponsor relationships.
"I've been a part of the Waves family for so many years now, as a player and as a volunteer," said Mewhirter. "I feel so prepared and excited to be able to make a bigger impact in this new role. I am looking forward to contributing to the beach program as a whole, and developing and strengthening relationships with each of the athletes on the team to help them achieve their highest potential."
Mewhirter played for Pepperdine from 2014-17, she earned AVCA and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors after the Waves' NCAA Championship runner-up finish in 2017 and was a part of the AVCA National Championship winning team in 2014 as a freshman. She was an All-WCC first teamer in 2016 and 2017 and throughout her career marked an 81-31 overall record for a .723 winning percentage. Her career wins currently ranks 6th in the Pepperdine beach volleyball record books. She saw action on courts one through four throughout her time in the navy and orange, notably collecting 20-12, 23-7 and 26-5 in the No. 1, 2 and 3 positions respectively. White at Pepperdine, Mewhirter was also a Team Captain for two seasons and served on the Waves Leadership Council.
From 2018 to 2020, she served as an Administrative Assistant and Tournament Directory for p1440 in El Segundo, Calif., managing communications across the beach volleyball development program, coordinating a player evaluation system for the distribution of sponsorship funds and organizing and directing monthly tournaments.
After her graduation from Pepperdine in 2017, Mewhirter had quickly joined the Waves' beach volleyball sidelines, serving alongside former head coach Nina Matthies and current head coach Marcio Sicoli from then until June 2020. She also coached indoor and beach volleyball for Oaks Volleyball Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. during that time.
Apart from her numerous coaching and professional jobs, Mewhirter has put an effort in the areas of skill development and leadership, serving as a Member of the Junior National Beach Volleyball A1 Team since 2011, training with internationally experienced coaches and representing the USA at both the U19 and U21 World Championships. She was a Youth Group Advisor for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Malibu, Calif. for six years beginning in 2015, teaching Sunday school lessons and overseeing progress on spiritual development projects.
As if playing for high school and collegiate volleyball teams wasn't busy enough, Mewhirter also earned her private license as a single-engine aircraft pilot at the California Flight School in Van Nuys, Calif. in 2014.
Kraft graduated from Pepperdine in 2020 after having played for the Waves for four seasons, though her senior campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time competing on the sand for Pepperdine, she earned AVCA, DiG Magazine and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors, garnered a 2018 West Coast Conference Defender of the Year nod and was a two-time All-WCC first teamer.
"I'm really happy to have Deahna returning to our program," said Sicoli. "She is an extraordinary person, competitor and role model for our team. I'm thankful for her volunteering her time with us and coaching our players at the highest level on and off the court."
She finished her career in the navy and orange with a 67-30 (.691) overall record, including 15 wins in the top-spot, a 26-10 record in the No. 2 position and a 26-6 output from the No. 4 slot. Her 67 wins currently ranks 11th in the Pepperdine beach volleyball career record books. She helped lead her squad to two-straight WCC Championship crowns and a pair of top-five finishes in the NCAA Tournament, including the runner-up finish in 2017.
"I am super excited to join the Waves this year," said Kraft. "I feel honored to have the opportunity to work and learn from an Olympic level coach such as Marcio and I look forward to bringing positive energy and a strong desire to achieve excellence to the program."
After graduating from Pepperdine, she spent her final year of eligibility getting a Master's degree in Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from University of Wisconsin, Madison, while playing for the Badgers' indoor program. The Badgers ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for most of the 2020 season, which was played in the Spring of 2021, finishing with an impressive 18-1 overall record, an undefeated season in the Big Ten and a NCAA Championship semifinal appearance.
Kraft has been putting her education to good use in the coaching arena, studying the Foundations of Coaching, taught by world-renown volleyball coach and Pepperdine's Head Coach Emeritus Marv Dunphy, who recently helped Team USA indoor women's volleyball to a gold medal finish in the 2020 Olympic Games.
FOLLOW
Follow @WavesBeachVB on Facebook and Twitter for updates and check on PepperdineWaves.com for full results, recaps and more. Follow @peppbeachvolley on Instagram for an inside look at the Waves' team culture and check out @PepperdineWaves for the scoop on all the Waves' programs throughout the year.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
