First Rhino Classic opens Gaston College's beach volleyball season

Gaston College's return to beach volleyball came last weekend as coach Annelle Grealis, volunteer assistant Todd Sloan and their team hosted the first Rhino Classic at the school's on-campus home.

"It was a great inaugural tournament," Grealis said. "I'm looking forward to making that a staple of our program."

Grealis inherited the program in the fall of 2024 and has rebuilt a roster that will compete for the 2026 Region 10 title.

In the weekend competition, four-year schools Catawba, Stevenson and Lynchburg all finished 3-1 with Salem finishing 1-3 and Gaston College 0-4.

Due to illness, the Rhinos were able to compete in four of the five individual pairings in Friday losses to Catawba and Salem and three of the five individual pairings in Saturday losses to Stevenson and Lynchburg.

"We played some really strong competition against strong NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III schools," Grealis said. "That was a great opportunity to play strong competition and get some really good touches.
"That said, we had a lot of different pairs - and I'm extremely proud of my girls for playing through that adversity. I've always said you have to be able to play with anyone and they showed that this weekend.
"There were a lot of bright moments despite the scoreboard."

Sloan, the director of the Gaston Galaxy, assisted Grealis on Saturday.

"At the end of the tournament, we talked as a team about our goals moving into next week and communicating more on the offensive side of the ball is a big one," Grealis said. "This group is the foundation of the program we're trying to build and it's refreshing to have a group of young ladies eager to get better and work hard."

The Rhinos open their Region 10 schedule in Saturday's 1 p.m. doubleheader against Richard Bland.