Martin Meets the Sand
02/27/2018 | Beach Volleyball
Makenna Martin is a go-getter. Whether she's playing indoor leading the team in digs and aces as Arizona Volleyball's libero and defensive specialist or taking on the full court as a defender in the sand, she's up for the challenge.
Eager to make her mark, this Arizona native came to the U of A and, to say the least, impressed her Wildcat family. In her freshman year as a libero for indoor volleyball, Makenna saw action in 98 sets - second most among freshman. She has made impactful strides toward success standing as a vital member of Arizona's backrow, which finished third in the conference in digs. She posted 15 aces in her first year and had a career high of 11 digs twice, but did not stop there.
Martin, who has earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention, has proved she a force to be reckoned with. Her personal goals are "to stay consistent, level headed and to get better everyday." In her sophomore season, she proved that consistency leading UA in digs with a total of 267.
Through her discipline and hard work on the court, she has already fulfilled her goal to play both beach and indoor in the Pac-12. Makenna played in her first NCAA tournament this past weekend at the Cactus Classic where her and teammate Caroline Cordes assisted the Cats in their sweep, ending with a pairs record of 3-0.
ArizonaWildcats.com sat down with Makenna Martin to learn more about her transition to beach volleyball and her first beach tournament.
Q: How was your first beach tournament?
A: "My first beach tournament at the U of A was so much fun. It was great to be out there playing in front of my family and friends. I had been looking forward to it for a while."
Q: How was your transition from indoor to beach? Any key differences you had to get used to?
A: "My transition from beach to indoor has been smooth for the most part. There has been a few bumps on the way, but that is just the nature of playing two sports. There are a few key differences I am still getting used to and that is my hitting because I don't hit in indoor. I am the libero, and the second one is getting my sand legs back."
Q: Any key takeaways from this past weekend?
A: "There were a few key takeaways from this weekend. Working through adversity, being able to adjust and play with someone new was a good challenge that we all accepted and made the best of it."
Q: Moving forward onto the Arizona Invitational, what would you like to improve on?
A: "Moving forward, I would like to improve on my timing as I hit and being stopped on defense."
Q: What are your overall personal goals?
A: "My personal goals are to stay consistent, level headed and to get better everyday."
Q: Has anyone specifically been influential or helpful in your transition to the team?
A: "Hailey has helped me in my transiting along with Mia and Olivia M. because they have been in the program and knows what it takes to be successful. Hailey has been awesome because I play a lot with her in practice and when my emotions get the best of me in practice, she helps me stay focused and calm for the next point."
Follow the Cats!
For continued coverage of Arizona Wildcat Beach Volleyball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com. Fans can keep up with the latest in Arizona Athletics by following us on Twitter (@UAbeachvb), Instagram (@arizonabeachvolleyball), Facebook (ArizonaBeachVolleyball), and Snapchat (Arizonabeachvb)
