Women’s sand volleyball is having it’s innaugural season at EC this spring according to an email from Sports Information Associate, Alyssa Olveda.

The California Community College Athletics Association (CCCAA) sanctioned sand volleyball as a championship sport for this year according to their website. EC will compete in the Orange Empire – Kerry Walsh Jennings conference “with Antelope Valley, Fullerton and Golden West,” according to Olveda’s email.

“There will be three conferences (four divisions) with 18 teams split between Northern and Southern California,” according to the Olveda email.

Seventeen CCCAA colleges were already offering sand volleyball class in 2013 and popularity has only increased since, according to the athletic association. The new athletic program will be the first new sport sanctioned by CCCAA since women’s badminton was added in 2000 according to the athletic association.

Women’s volleyball coach, Lee Valley Pattinson will take over as coach of the new outdoor sport. She will continue as coach of the indoor women’s team where she’s won 25 conference titles in her 26 years as Warriors coach according to the Olveda email.

Team and individual state championships will take place at Irvine Valley College on May 1 & 2 respectively according to CCCAA.