SALEM, Ore. –  The No. 7-ranked Corban University beach volleyball team competed in its first full season last spring, making its long-awaited debut after COVID postponed the squad's 2020 campaign. The Navy and Gold proved that the wait was worth it, compiling a strong inaugural season, which eventually ended in the squad finishing in fourth place at the AVCA Small College Championships.

Now, the Warriors are set to host Interstate-5 rival Bushnell University for back-to-back duals tomorrow afternoon to open the season, officially opening its 2022 spring regimen.

"I'm looking forward to getting our first competition under our belt," head coach Diana Villalpando said. "The ladies have been working hard and I'm excited to see them put that hard work to the test."

With Corban serving as the only higher-education institution in Oregon to possess on-campus competition courts, virtually all of the team's events this spring will be hosted on the 'City on a Hill.' With the exception of a trio of road duals against the Beacons (March 18-19, April 1) and the Navy and Gold's postseason slate, Warrior fans will have 10 opportunities to see the team compete on Corban's campus in 2022.

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

Newcomer Maya Blake and veteran Nicole Bantilan will be paired together to start the campaign, with Blake making an immediate impression in her rookie year and Bantilan providing experience on big stages from last year's success.

Briana Ayala and Michelle Rosas will be grouped together to start the spring, forming one of the Navy and Gold's more experienced pairings. Kianna Keeling and Megan Dennis are both freshmen, but the tandem should make an immediate impact for Villalpando and company.

Avari Ridgway and Makenna Campbell have plenty of chemistry from competing together on the Warrior indoor team, and the duo projects to partner together on the sand this spring in their first seasons of beach competition.

Additionally, experienced athletes Kaitlin Hunter and Tyra Ching are set to compete together, while rookie Cameron Keeling and veteran Jolinn Daviscourt are another pair for Warrior fans to keep an eye on this spring.

To learn more about the newcomers to the 2022 squad, CLICK HERE.

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 look a little unique compared to other spring-sport offerings.

The Warriors will set their sights on competing in the Cal-Pac Conference Tournament in April 7-9, while the first-ever NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball National Invitational is set to take place on April 21-23 in Panama City Beach, Fla.

Additionally, the squad will also likely send pairs to compete at the AVCA Small College National Championships again, which are slated for April 14-16 in Tavares, Fla.