We're counting down to the start of the 2017 NCAA beach volleyball season by previewing one of the nation's top programs every day leading up to opening weekend.

So far, we've highlighted Loyola Marymount, Georgia State, and Louisiana State, and today it's all about the 49ers of Long Beach State University.

In Short

Long Beach State, the winner of the 2013 AVCA Beach Volleyball Championship, will be in the hunt for its first NCAA beach volleyball championship this season. The 49ers return a strong core of contributors, including last season's top pair of Nele Barber and Rachel Nieto and are ranked in the top 10 of the AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Preseason Poll despite a losing record in 2016.

Last Season

13-14 overall
Big West Championships runner-up

The Players

Returning Stars

Nele Barber | 6-foot | Junior | Berlin, Germany
Ariana Garner | 5-6 | Senior | Carmichael, California
Jenelle Hudson | 5-8 | Senior | San Diego, California
Zoi Konstantopoulou | 6-0 | Sophomore | Limassol, Cyprus
Megan Kruidhof | 6-0 | Sophomore | Lakewood, California
Rachel Nieto | 5-10 | Junior | Walnut Creek, California
Kobi Pekich | 5-9 | Senior | Huntington Beach, California
Morea Wagner | 5-8 | Senior | Encinitas, California
Ciana Wagner | 5-8 | Senior | Encinitas, California

Key Newcomers

Hailey Harward | 5-9 | Freshman | Phoenix, Arizona
Sasha Karelov | 5-9 | Junior | Raleigh, North Carolina | Duke Transfer
Mary Joe McBride | 5-9 | Freshman | Paradise Valley, Arizona | Long Beach City College Transfer
Heather Weiss | 5-10 | Senior | Fort Gratiot, Michigan | Florida Atlantic Transfer

Biggest Losses

Peyton Grahovac | 6-2 | Orange, California
Sammee Thomas | 5-7 | Park City, Utah
Mykah Wilson | 5-11 | Southlake, Texas

Season Highlights

March 16

11:30 AM PT vs. Pepperdine WATCH LIVE
2:30 PM PT vs. Loyola Marymount  ​WATCH LIVE

March 27

11:30 AM PT vs. Cal WATCH LIVE
2:30 PM PT vs. UCLA WATCH LIVE

Outlook

Four Long Beach State players earned first-team All-Big West honors at the conclusion of the 2016 season, and three of those athletes are back for 2017. Honorable mention All-American indoor player Nele Barber, who transfered from Marquette after the 2014 season, will be a strong candidate to retain her spot on the No. 1 team. The native of Germany finished the 2016 season with a 16-10 record alongside partner Rachel Nieto. Nieto also returns, as does Jenelle Hudson, Zoi Konstantopoulou, Kobi Pekich, and Morea Wagner, all of whom played at the No. 1 spot at some point in the 2016 season.

Head coach Matt Campbell also adds a stud freshman to his roster in Hailey Harward, an honorable mention AVCA Beach Volleyball High School All-American who partnered with LSU freshman Claire Coppola before coming to Long Beach State, as well as three transfers who have potential to work their way into the starting lineup. Mary Joe McBride comes to LBSU after spending the fall playing indoor for Misty May-Treanor at Long Beach City College. Heather Weiss transfers in from Florida Atlantic, where she played at the No. 2 spot on the beach team, and Sasha Karelov just finished her fourth season as the starting libero at Duke, where she earned honorable mention All-American honors.