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, Long Beach State, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida State, UCLA, and Pepperdine. Today, it's all about the USC Trojans. 

In Short

Reigning national champion USC returns its undefeated No. 1 pair of Sara Hughes and Kelly Claes and is predicted to once again be the top team in the country. The opening weekend of the season will reveal if the 2017 Trojans have what it takes to live up to expectations as they take on UCLA and Pepperdine.

Last Season

34-2 overall
First in Final 2016 AVCA Poll
2016 NCAA National Champion

The Players

Returning Stars

Kelly Claes | 6-foot-2 | Senior | Fullerton, California
Sara Hughes | 5-10 | Senior | Costa Mesa, California
Sophie Bukovec | 6-1 | Senior | Toronto, Ontario
Nicolette Martin | 5-9 | Senior | Anaheim, California
Allie Wheeler | 5-11 | Senior | Saratoga, California
Jenna Belton | 6-1 | Junior | Aptos, California
Abril Bustamante | 6-0 | Sophomore | Redondo Beach, California
Jo Kremer | 5-8 | Junior | Pacific Palisades, California

Key Newcomers

Joy Dennis | 6-1 | Freshman | Cypress, California
Cammie Dorn | 6-1 | Freshman | Laguna Beach, California
Avery Hazelrigg | 5-7 | Freshman | Manhattan Beach, California
Brianna Sizemore | 6-1 | Junior | Carlsbad, California | Point Loma Nazarene Transfer
Lainy Thomas | 5-10 | Freshman | Frisco, Texas

Biggest Losses

Zoe Nightingale | 6-3 | Sacramento, California
Alexa Strange | 6-0 | San Clemente, California

Opening Weekend Matches

March 4

11:15 AM PT vs. UCLA
12:30 PM PT vs. Pepperdine

Overview

USC head beach volleyball coach Anna Collier says her reigning national championship squad is even better than it was last spring. The 2016 Trojans went 43-2, and only two starters were lost from that lineup.

In a preseason interview, Collier highlighted the improvement of 6-3 junior Terese Cannon, who fans should see in action as a starter during opening weekend when USC travels to Malibu to take on Pepperdine and UCLA. Collier also singled out freshman Joy Dennis as the newcomer most likely to make an immediate impact.

And of course, it's the final year of NCAA beach volleyball for superstars Sara Hughes and Kelly Claes. This pair hasn't lost a match since March 24, 2015, and in the meantime they've generated plenty of buzz competing and doing well on the domestic and international professional tours.