TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Beach Volleyball head coach
Steve Walker has signed four recruits on signing day, announced by the program. This year's talented class includes Kennedi Diamond, Reece McArthur, Violet McArthur, and Tatum Riggs.
"This signing class is full of players with a lot of raw talent who have a high ceiling which is so exciting for our program," Walker said. "With this class, we focused on keeping some of the best in-state talent close to home and once again tapping into Texas – which has proven to be such fertile recruiting ground for us. They all come from great, loyal families, excel in the classroom and will be wonderful additions to the Sand Cat family."
Kennedi Diamond
5-8 | Defender | San Antonio, Texas | Pieper H.S.
- Prepped with 210 Beach
- Recognized by JVA in 2024 and 2025 as "Best in beach"
- Apart of the U.S. girls U13 A1 Training team
- Took 5th place at BVCA nationals in both 2023 and 2024
- Placed 1st in the Galveston open BVCA club vs club in 2024 and placed 2nd in 2025
- Took 1st in 210 beach open BVCA club vs club in 2025
- Received academic all-district recognition in 2022 and 2023
Coach Walker says: "Kennedi made one of the biggest jumps in the country in terms of performance at the Juniors level from her sophomore to junior year and continues to improve. She's obsessed with the sport of beach volleyball and she is ready to put in the work required on and off the sand to produce the kind of results she craves. Kennedi will be another defender that has very good defensive range and she already has a great understanding of where to be and when to be there. Her beach volleyball IQ is very high given her age, and that is only surpassed by a wicked competitiveness."
Kennedi says: "I chose Arizona because of its growing athletic programs and opportunities for me as an athlete and a student. My coaches and teammates are super awesome people who I know will care about and support me!"
Reece McArthur
6-0 | Blocker | Gilbert, Ariz. | American Leadership Academy
- Prepped with Dune Beach Volleyball Club
- Took 5th place at a national qualifier in 2025
- Took 5th place at the BVNE juniors bid tournament
- Took 4th and 5th place at two AAU national qualifier tournaments in 2024
- Took 2nd at the BVCA Arizona spring challenge in 2025
- Totaled 12 Top 5 finishes between 2024 and 2025
Coach Walker says: "Our coaching staff feels like we hit a home run with bringing Reece into this class as a blocker. In the current landscape of college beach volleyball, you must be formidable at the net, and there really is no reason Reece cannot be one of the best we've ever had in that role. Her length, athletic ability and ever-improving skill sets make her one of the more exciting players in her recruiting class. I've seen a great deal of growth in Reece in recent months and it's so fun to think about what she'll become in her time here. We're looking forward to getting Reece in the fold and helping her take her game to the next level."
Reece says: "I decided to attend the University of Arizona because I want to further my education and I think the University of Arizona is the best place for that."
Violet McArthur
5-11 | Split-blocker | Gilbert, Ariz. | American Leadership Academy
- Prepped with Dune Beach Volleyball Club
- Took 1st place at an AAU bid tournament
- Placed 5th at the BVCA west coast championships
- Took 2nd at the BVCA Arizona spring challenge in 2025
- Finished 3rd place at the p1140 national qualifier 18u
- Totaled 8 top 3 finishes in tournaments between 2024-2025
Coach Walker says: "Violet is the member of this group we can easily classify as a split-blocker, as she has the ability to play both in the front and back court without missing a beat. She is going to impact our program on the court and she possesses the ability to raise the level of her partner better than most in the sport. She can also keep an entire team together, without straining. Violet is a great leader, and we can't wait to get her here."
Violet says: "I love Arizona with my whole heart and wanted to play volleyball representing my home! It is such a beautiful campus, and this school has a wonderful curriculum! I knew was meant to come here!"
Tatum Riggs
5-8 | Defender | Queen Creek, Ariz. | American Leadership Academy
- Prepped with Volley for Life Beach Volleyball Club
- Named All-district offensive player of the year in 2024
- Named All-district player of the year in 2025
- Recognized as All-Region player of the year in 2025
- Named to All-State 1st team in 2024 and All-State 2nd team in 2023
- Went undefeated with her high school team freshman year
- Won multiple BVCA tournamnets
Coach Walker says: "Tatum is a very gifted athlete, whose athletic ability is only trumped by her work ethic and there really is no ceiling when considering what kind of player she can develop into. She'll play in the back court more often as a defender; but Tatum has the ability to terminate the ball at the net offensively a very high level. As a front and back court player, Tatum was a major contributor in leading her high school indoor volleyball team to the state championship match this fall. She also has the speed and range to cover the court defensively that can make the opposing team feel as though the court is smaller than it actually is. We look forward to getting her in the sand and working with her on a regular basis."
Tatum says: "I decided to attend the University of Arizona because of the amazing people and the beautiful campus."
