SALEM, Ore. –  The Corban University beach volleyball team was originally slated to make its program debut on March 13, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) to suspend spring sports on the eve of the squad's first-ever contest, forcing the Warriors to wait another year before making their long-awaited premiere.

Now, the time has finally come for the squad to kick off the 2021 season, as NCAA Division I University of Oregon will visit the 'City on a Hill' on Thursday afternoon (2 p.m.) in the official christening of the Corban Beach Volleyball Courts.

"I'm excited to get this year started, it's been a long time coming," said head coach Diana Villalpando. "The girls have been working extremely hard. I know this year will be tough, playing NCAA Division I schools, but these young ladies are up for the challenge, and this will only better prepare us for the AVCA small college national tournament at the end of April."

Thursday's season opener against Oregon will be the first of two competitions this week for the Navy and Gold, with University of Portland coming to Corban on Sunday for an afternoon scrimmage. Corban will see the Ducks again on March 16—the lone road dual of the year for the squad—and the Pilots on April 13, with the latter match with UP serving as a counting contest.

After this week's action, the Warriors will then host an AVCA Pairs Tournament on March 13-14, the first of two round-robin events hosted by the Navy and Gold. At both events, Corban, University of Washington, Boise State University, and Portland will comprise the four-team tournaments.

To view the team's complete schedule, CLICK HERE.

Veteran Melanie Miller and newcomer Jolinn Daviscourt will be paired together to start the 2021 campaign, with Miller's success and experience figuring to be valuable assets as the young and talented Daviscourt launches her collegiate career.

Kaitlin Hunter and Briana Ayala will also be a duo to watch in the early going, as the two figure to be key pieces of the Navy and Gold squad this season. A pair of rookies, Nicole Bantilan and Kalisi Latu will work together in hopes of making a significant contribution right off the bat.

To learn more about the newcomers to the 2021 squad, CLICK HERE.

After an impressive career in indoor volleyball, Lauren Condon will tag team with newcomer Haley Paul at the onset, with the athleticism and versatility of each making them a must-watch pair.

CLICK HERE to view the squad's full roster. 

Since beach volleyball as a sport is still under invitational status within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Corban's postseason road will instead lead to the AVCA National Championships, which are scheduled for April 16-18 in Hickory Point, Fla.