LA JOLLA, Calif. - University of California San Diego men's volleyball player Charlie Siragusa has been named to the 2021 U.S. Beach Collegiate National Team (BCNT).

The 2021 Men's BCNT consists of 13 of the top male collegiate athletes who are eligible to train and compete for the USA. Siragusa is one of three Big West Conference players selected to the team along with UC Irvine's Jonathan Bowles and Francesco Sani.  

"I am very honored to be part of the U.S. Beach Collegiate National Team," said Siragusa, who recently concluded his junior year as an outside hitter/opposite with the Tritons. "The team is made up of some outstanding athletes and coaches, so I am extremely excited about the opportunity to train alongside them."

All 13 men on the roster attended a training block in Huntington Beach, Calif., in late June. The sessions were led by Christian Hartford (Athletic Performance Coach, U.S. Beach National Team), Patty Dodd (Beach National Team Training Group Coach), and Mike Dodd (Olympic silver medalist).

“My experience in Huntington Beach was fantastic,” said Siragusa. “It was super well-run and a great introduction to USA Beach Volleyball’s training system. I really enjoyed getting to learn from high level beach coaches and meeting athletes from all over the country. In addition to volleyball training, we also got to partake in classroom sessions on recovery, sports psychology, and nutrition. My favorite session was a presentation on the impact of breathing by Christian Hartford!”

Siragusa has been part of two historic UC San Diego squads thus far in his career.

In 2020, he helped the Tritons attain a 14-5 record, the team's most wins since becoming an NCAA Division II program in 2001. Ranked as high as sixth nationally, their highest ever, the Tritons defeated seven other ranked teams including powerhouses UC Irvine, UCLA, and Penn State.

This past season, UC San Diego won back-to-back matches at the Big West Conference Championship tournament, its first-ever postseason victories since the Tritons began playing at the Division I/II level in 2001. One of those wins came in a semifinal against No. 1-ranked, undefeated, and eventual national champion Hawaii.

Siragusa, who is majoring in business psychology, was recently named a Big West Conference All-Academic Team selection. 

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Siragusa was a four-year starter and an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First Team All-American while at McQuaid Jesuit High School.

2021 Men's Beach Collegiate National Team Roster
(College, USAV Region)

• Kyle Anema (Vanguard, Southern California)

• Jonathan Bowles (UC Irvine, Arizona)

• Tim Brewster (UCLA, Southern California)

• Noah Dyer (Pepperdine, Southern California)

• Ray Hart (St. Katherine, Southern California)

• Heath Hughes (Grand Canyon, Florida)

• Kaleb Jenness (Ball State, Palmetto)

• Luke Lentin (Ohio State, Southern California)

• Francesco Sani (UC Irvine, Chesapeake)

• John Schwengel (Santa Monica College, Southern California)

• Charlie Siragusa (UC San Diego, Western Empire)

• Grant Sloane (UCLA, Southern California)

• Tanner Woods (Jamestown, Southern California)

Head Coach
Danko Iordanov (St. Katherine)

Assistant Coach 
Hudson Bates (Ohio State)

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.