By: Billi Derleth

It was just announced that Bria Beale will continue in the running to be the 2021 NCAA Women of the Year. Beale has climbed to the Top 30 for the NCAA and top 10 for Division II for this prestigious award.  
 
"It feels amazing, obviously," said Beale. "I'm very proud of myself and grateful for the opportunity and the challenges I overcame that led me to be able to receive this kind of recognition."
 
Beale, in her fourth year at UH Hilo, is not just an outside hitter on the volleyball team. She is a leader in the community and on campus, she excels in the classroom, and is a stud on the court. Beale is a southern California naitive who transferred to UH Hilo in 2018 from UC Irvine. Once she became a Vulcan, she made an immediate impact and helped the volleyball team reach new levels of play. Since her arrival, the Vulcans have a record of 58-17 over parts of three seasons and are 48-10 in Pacific West Conference play.
 
"Many student-athletes excel in academics or athletics," said head coach Chris Leonard. "Bria is one of the few that I have had the privilege of working with that is truly elite as a student and as an athlete." 
 
"We are so proud of Bria for this recognition by the NCAA," stated athletic director Patrick Guillen. "Bria epitomizes the definition of student-athlete. She is an excellent student and a highly talented athlete who no doubt has a bright future. She is an excellent leader on and off the court and has made contributions in our community. This is one of the highest awards given by the NCAA and Bria is well-deserving of this recognition."
 
Let's recap some of Beale's highlights.
 
On the Court
Recently, Beale was named PacWest Player of the Week for her performances against Chaminade and Hawai'i Pacific. She also reached over 1,000 for her career kills and over 100 for service aces - no easy feat. She currently has several mentions in the career books and continues to improve her numbers. Her 1,059 career kills ranks sixth all-time, her 110 service aces is fifth and her 927 digs lists sixth in the Vulcan record book.
 
Beale is also a three-time All-PacWest Conference selection, First Team All-West Region selection, and was UH Hilo's 2021 Female Athlete of the Year.
 
In the Classroom
Beale was named twice to the select 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District Volleyball Team. The senior was one of just eight players named to the team among nominees from the three NCAA Division II conferences in the west region--The Pacific West Conference, the California Collegiate Athletic Association and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. 
 
Beale graduated this past spring with a 3.90 grade point average earning her BA in Communications, a minor in Sociology and an undergraduate certificate in Agriculture. This Fall, she is pursuing a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology--Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
 
For the Community
When Beale isn't practicing, competing in a game, or studying for an exam she is a busy bee on campus and in the community. In the middle of the pandemic she created a community support group, coordinating virtual meetings where people could come together and support one another. She and her volleyball teammates have provided meals for the Hawai`i Island Home for Recovery and she has also been a peer educator for the UH Hilo Title IX office. 
 
Moving Forward
Beale is amazing on and off the court. The next steps in Beale's climb for the NCAA Women of the Year award is to wait and see. The Committee on Women's Athletics will select the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year from nine finalists at an award ceremony on Oct. 17. The ceremony will take place in Indianapolis where the Top 30 honorees will be celebrated, and the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named.
 
Closing Thoughts
"I'm proud of Bria and happy that the NCAA has recognized her for her outstanding accomplishments on the court and in the classroom," stated Leonard. 
 
"I'm very proud of myself for this accomplishment and I'm very grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way," concluded Beale. 
 
CLICK HERE to watch Beale's video interview.