SandyNoles is a beach volleyball podcast digging into all things Florida State Beach Volleyball, featuring head coach Brooke Niles, assistant coaches Nick Lucena and Travis Mewhirter, and the rest of the Seminoles throughout the NCAA beach volleyball season.
Jess Horwath Has Found Her Perfect Fit at Florida State
Assistant coach Travis Mewhirter interviews Jess Horwath, who describes her transition to Florida State and how well she fits into the beach volleyball program.
17 Oct 2025
Maddie Trusty Has Entered Revered "Unk Status" at Florida State
Assistant coach Travis Mewhirter interviews redshirt senior Maddie Trusty about her volleyball career, her role as an elder stateswoman, and her appreciation for her parents' support.
10 Oct 2025
Rachel Heilbrun: An FSU Blessing That Has Been 'More Than You Can Ask, Think, or Imagine'
Rachel Heilbrun discusses her transfer to Florida State, her growth as a player, and her evolving role on the team in this interview episode.
3 Oct 2025
Alexis Durish’s “Dip” Into Professional Beach Volleyball Changed Everything
Beach volleyball player Alexis Durish discusses her successful first summer playing professionally, her partnership with Audrey Koenig, and developing her leadership skills in an interview with Travis Mewhirter.
26 Sept 2025
Bailey Higgins, And An Insatiable Curiosity That Will Never Be Quenched
Beach volleyball player Bailey Higgins discusses her insatiable curiosity, imposter syndrome, and expectations for the upcoming season in an interview with coach Travis Mewhirter.
19 Sept 2025
Gella Andrew: Florida State's Resilient Leader by Example
Gella Andrew discusses her transition to court two, the importance of resilience, and embracing individuality with Travis Mewhirter in this interview about her freshman year.
12 Sept 2025
Elena Lam is Playing Volleyball Her Own Way -- Whether You Like it Or Not
Assistant Coach Travis Mewhirter interviews freshman Elena Lam about her unique FSU beach volleyball style and unwavering pursuit of a National Championship.
5 Jun 2025
Nick Lucena, Brooke Niles, And The Building of An NCAA Coaching Legacy
Coach Brooke Niles and Coach Nick Lucena discuss NCAA beach volleyball and the upcoming 2024 season with Travis Mewhirter in this interview.
10 Apr 2025
Makenna Wolfe, Madi Trusty, And Wolfe's Home Away From Home
Welcome back to the SandyNoles Podcast, where players and coaches on the FSU Beach Volleyball team chat about all things Florida State beach volleyball. Today, Makenna Wolfe and Madi Trusty chat about the upcoming weekend at Cal Poly, a home tournament of sorts for Wolfe who wrestles with wondering: Where is home, truly? Is it in Tallahassee, Florida, where she has spent her last four years, or is it home in northern California, where she spent the first 18 years of her life?
Fun one with two close friends.
Enjoy!
27 Mar 2025
Alexis Durish And Carra Sassack: A look-ahead at LSU's Death Volley Invitational
Alexis Durish and Carra Sassack, the most dynamic of FSU Beach Volleyball duos, are back again, chatting life, ice-breakers, and a look-ahead at this weekend's Death Volley Invitational at LSU, where the 'Noles will play UCLA, Stanford, USC, and Long Beach State.
20 Mar 2025
Jordan Boulware and Paige Kalkhoff: Volleyball, Brain Rot, And a Hawaii Trip That Changed Everything
Welcome back to SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast. On this episode, we have Jordan Boulware and Paige Kalkhoff, a red shirt freshman and a fifth-year senior, respectively, who are, oddly enough given their age gap, the best of friends.
Or, in their words, Honeys.
It'll take you roughly five seconds to realize just how good of friends they are, as they laugh, giggle, knee-slap their way through defining all of the "brain rot" words of their generation for a very confused assistant coach, chat how their relationship blossomed on a trip to Hawaii, and even get into some more serious matters like childhood memories.
It's a fun ride. Enjoy and GO NOLES!
13 Mar 2025
Audrey Koenig: The Indoor Player of the Year Who Chose Beach
Welcome back to SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball podcast! This week's episode features Audrey Koenig, the 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year – alongside Louisville’s Anna DeBeer – who is currently headlining the Florida State Beach Volleyball team. Her record, 9-2 in 2025 thus far, suggests an experienced, top-flight talent. Yet she’s only eight months into beach volleyball. What?? Indeed. We chat all about that, as well as:
What it was like for Koenig to play her final indoor match, after playing indoor volleyball for 13 years
The difficulties of transitioning from indoor to beach volleyball
How beach volleyball is the perfect way to train for indoor, but not necessarily vice versa
How far she wants to take volleyball, be it returning to one of the many professional indoor leagues in the USA or head to the beach, where she would be an immediate prospect to get scooped by an elite defender
And, as always, a whole lot more.
GO NOLES!!
6 Mar 2025
Alexis Durish and Carra Sassack: The CCSA Pairs(!!) of The Week
Welcome back to SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast! Today's episode features back to back pairs of the week in Alexis Durish, who won CCSA Pair of the Week in week one after an undefeated tournament at Southern Mississippi, and Carra Sassack, who won CCSA Pair of the Week with Bailey Higgins after an undefeated second weekend at home.
They talk about...a lot: pre-game music, an upcoming trip to Texas and California, being pairs of the week, and existential grape questions.
GO NOLES!!
27 Feb 2025
Bailey Higgins: FSU's Standout Freshman Who "Can Only Go Up From Here"
Welcome back to SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast! Today's episode features head coach Brooke Niles and freshman Bailey Higgins, who had an outstanding debut at the opening weekend at Southern Mississippi, where she went 3-1, including wins over North Alabama, Spring Hill, and Florida Gulf Coast.
Higgins and Niles chat about:
- Bailey's transition from indoor to beach
- Why she's more nervous for a podcast than an actual match
- How she unexpectedly landed at Florida State, currently the No. 7 team in the country
- FSU's mix of youth and veterans
19 Feb 2025
SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast #1
Welcome to SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast! This is a podcast where, you guessed it, the Florida State beach volleyball staff and players chat about...Florida State beach volleyball.
In our debut episode, we have head coach Brooke Niles and second assistant coach Travis Mewhirter talking about the upcoming NCAA Beach Volleyball season, and specifically the upcoming opening weekend at Southern Miss. There, the 'Noles will play North Alabama, LSU, Spring Hill, Florida Gulf Coast, and Southern Miss.
Beyond this weekend, Niles talks about her 10 years in Tallahassee, how much her coaching style has changed (and hasn't), how the 2025 FSU team is the youngest in her 10 years at the helm, and more.
Enjoy our opening episode, and please let us know what you want more of, less of, and everything in between!
Who has been a guest on SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jess Horwath
Maddie Trusty
Rachel Heilbrun
Alexis Durish
Bailey Higgins
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 7 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
2
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast
Who hosts SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast?
Travis Mewhirter host the show. Published by FSU Beach Volleyball.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does SandyNoles: An FSU Beach Volleyball Podcast take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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