Inside-out: How Carlie Cisneros became a key cog for U of A beach volleyball | Michael Lev

Sunscreen.

It’s a necessity for beach volleyball players. Cisneros is one of them now.

The decorated outside hitter for the Wildcats’ indoor volleyball team has taken up a new sport this spring. She isn’t just moonlighting as a beach volleyball player, either. Cisneros has become an integral part of the team. She forms half of the No. 1 pair for 20th-ranked Arizona, which is set to host the Big 12 Beach Volleyball Championship Thursday and Friday at Bear Down Beach.

It’s been a major adjustment for Cisneros on many levels — including the elements in which she plays.

“I used to complain about the air conditioning not being on,” Cisneros said. “Now I'm playing in 100-degree weather in Tucson.”

Cisneros has proved capable of handling the heat and whatever other challenges come her way.

In short order, she has developed from relative novice to reliable standout. Cisneros and partner Regan Holmer have a 20-10 record playing on court No. 1.

Despite Cisneros’ talent and pedigree — she was the No. 1-ranked indoor player in the class of 2024 — no one expected her to be this good, this fast. Including Cisneros herself. Her initial goal was to make the travel roster.

“And then hopefully I work my way onto one of the five courts,” Cisneros said. “Then I found my way onto the ones.”

That spot was not handed to her. Cisneros didn’t get any special treatment because of her reputation or résumé. She had to earn her place.

Cisneros viewed herself as a rookie. Her humble attitude undoubtedly contributed to what UA beach volleyball coach Steve Walker described as a “seamless transition” into the team’s culture.

The potential for friction definitely was on Walker’s mind. Although she was a fellow Wildcat, Cisneros was essentially an outsider. Or maybe an indoors-er?

She wasn’t a stranger, though. All Walker had to do to vet Cisneros was walk down the hall at McKale Center and talk to UA indoor volleyball coach Charita Stubbs.

“She has an awesome reputation in the department about being a great teammate, and we had zero concerns about having her,” Walker said of Cisneros. “I also think, culturally, it's something we work at. We love to say we're a welcoming team, regardless of background, regardless of anything that you've been through at a previous institution or wherever.

“You come play beach volleyball for the U of A, you're going to have a great experience, and we're going to treat you like family. She couldn't have done a better job making the crossover, just being warm with her teammates.”

Cisneros said she was nervous at first; she wasn’t sure how her new teammates would feel about having an “indoor girl” on the squad.

Her worries were unfounded.

“They've been amazing,” Cisneros said of her new beach buddies. “They've been so nice and so welcoming. They tell me every day that they're so happy that I came. And I'm so happy I made the decision to transfer over.”

‘Nowhere to hide’

If you’re wondering at this point what the big deal is — volleyball is volleyball, right? — well, you’re not alone. I had the same thought.

Walker and Cisneros explained the differences between the two disciplines. Yes, of course, both involve serving, setting, spiking, blocking, digging and passing. But where each of the six indoor players typically has a specialty, the two beach players have to do it all.

“This is the 13th year I've been in this position, and I still have a hard time coming up with a great metaphor,” Walker said. “I think it's like being an all-around gymnast as opposed to a specialist. There literally is nowhere to hide, and all of your skills have to be refined.

“Otherwise, all your weaknesses will get exposed.”

Cisneros had a fairly refined all-around game. But one of the reasons she wanted to pursue beach volleyball — which she only played for fun growing up in the Kansas City, Missouri, area — was to make herself even better.

She rarely, if ever, sets for the indoor team. It took all of one workout on the sand for Cisneros to allay that concern.

She also has improved her quickness and range — beach volleyball players have to cover the entire court — and added a few inches to her vertical jump.

Conditioning was an issue at the start.

“At the beginning, my body was like, ‘Hey, what are you doing? This is a lot. You should probably stop,’” Cisneros said. “But I got used to it, and I feel like I'm probably in the best shape of my life right now.”

Arizona’s indoor volleyball season ended Dec. 6. The spring semester began Jan. 14. Beach volleyball’s Red-Blue scrimmage was Feb. 13. Cisneros had little time to rest and recover.

But there’s something to be said for athletes pushing themselves in new and challenging ways.

Cisneros isn’t the first volleyball player to play both the indoor and beach versions of the sport within the same academic year. But it’s become much less common since Walker became Arizona’s coach in 2013. Beach volleyball was in its NCAA infancy back then.

Cisneros had to make some adjustments to her day-to-day routine. The psychology major switched to online classes this semester, she said, to have more flexibility; the beach volleyball team practices in the morning twice a week, in the afternoon three times a week.

Cisneros continues to lift weights with her indoor teammates to maintain a connection with them. That was one of Stubbs’ conditions when she signed off on the move.

Cisneros will resume her day job in the fall. The rising junior has two more years of eligibility.

Perfect partners

Despite its 22-8 record and No. 20 ranking, Arizona is the No. 6 seed in the six-team Big 12 Beach Volleyball Championship. That’s because the Wildcats went 1-6 in Big 12 play.

Walker believes they at least need to make the finals to have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, which consists of 16 teams. The Big 12 doesn’t have automatic-qualifying status yet. There are eight at-large spots. Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 15.

Cisneros and Holmer have comprised the No. 1 pair all season and presumably will be in that position again when Arizona faces TCU in the second pool-play match Thursday. Every team will play two matches to determine seeding for Friday. The top two seeds will get byes in a single-elimination bracket.

Holmer has been the ideal partner for Cisneros. Holmer spent her first three seasons playing beach volleyball for Grand Canyon. She posted a 22-6 record last year as a redshirt sophomore.

“She's so experienced that it made it very easy for me to come in and learn the game,” Cisneros said. “She's just been playing it for so long, and she's so crafty.”

Walker described Holmer as “almost a captain on the court.” He said she and Cisneros have similar styles of play and temperaments. The latter is critical when you’re playing on court No. 1.

“If you're winning at a 60-65% clip, you're doing a really nice job,” Walker said. “But that also means you're losing at a 35-40% clip. So you have to be able to manage your emotions, be mature enough and be tough enough and resilient enough to come back.”

The lineup would have been different if Kate Phillips had been healthy. The junior went 15-14 on the Nos. 1 and 2 courts last season but was unable to play this year because of a shoulder injury.

Phillips’ absence created a need. Cisneros filled it and then some.

Call it serendipity. Or call it the right player in the right place at the right time.

“Once we knew that Kate would be unavailable to us,” Walker said, “it just made all the sense in the world.”