Top moments of 2025-26: No. 10 - Volleyball returns after year off

A former local multi-sport athlete and teacher in Gaston College's Early College classes, Annelle Grealis slowly rebuilt the Rhinos' beach volleyball program for a restart in the spring of 2026.

Debuting with inaugural Rhino Classic against four-year schools, Grealis' team may have short of numbers but was large in effort in its Region 10 regular season schedule.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity. The team has been working really, really hard since August," Grealis said at the start of the season.

Only one athlete, Raelyn Miller-Lawrence, returned from the 2024-25 club team. The newcomers were Addison Abernethy, Angelina Diaz, Madison Herms, Addie Key, Brianna Krent, Valeria Rodriguez and Ashley York.

A pair of fall exhibition matches against Sandhills Community College gave the Rhinos' some seasoning but the inexperience showed in the challenging schedule against four-year schools Catawba, Lynchburg, Salem and Stevenson and Region 10 rivals Richard Bland, Sandhills and Wake Tech.

"It's a team effort," Grealis said of her team. "All of the players have taken on different roles in practice and throughout the season. So even though they are a new team and new to Gaston College, they have a passion for the sport.
"It's been great to have a group like this that is eager to improve every day."