After a record breaking season, the Westhampton Beach Hurricanes girls varsity volleyball team is eager for more, and they’re doing everything they can to go even further. With summer workouts coming up, the Hurricanes are going into the upcoming season with high energy and higher expectations, after the Hurricanes made program history last fall by going undefeated in league play, winning multiple tournaments, and reaching the county finals for the first time in years.
With that tough loss still in the back of our minds, the team’s already putting in effort to get ready for this upcoming season. The Hurricanes came close to winning the county champs last season but the loss made them more determined for this upcoming season. Varsity head coach Sarah Fabian said, “We made program history by going undefeated in league play, winning multiple tournaments, and reaching county finals—an achievement that hadn’t been done in years. While the loss in the final still stings, it has fueled our fire. We’re not just chasing wins—we’re chasing excellence.”
Most players were deeply affected by this loss because of chemistry and the close bonds with the team. Senior Katie Burke said, “Last year’s ending was sad—losing my sister as a teammate—but I still have one last season with my younger sister. The loss at the counties motivates me to want to go further and have more trust in my team.”
The team is working year round, with most players being on travel teams, and the open gyms for varsity and JV players. “We began with a JV-level open gym, where we’ve been working with 8th through 10th graders to teach them the expectations of our program,” said Fabian. “Our varsity athletes have also been training year-round. Many of them are playing with club teams and participating in additional training sessions to stay sharp and elevate their game.”
This effort will continue into summer, and become even more intense and advanced. Starting in June, open gyms will run twice a week. A goal is strength training and beach workouts as a team.
With six seniors graduating, the Hurricanes will rely on strong returning players, and the determined underclassmen moving up into the bigger roles. Coach Fabian said, “Our key returners include rising seniors Katie Burke, Jasmine Taylor, and Emma O’Came. This will be Emma’s third season running the offense as our starting setter, and Jasmine and Katie have each been dominant varsity hitters since their freshman year. Their leadership, both on and off the court, is unmatched.”
The upperclassmen’s leadership will motivate players like Reilly Maloney, Chloe Webb, Evelyn Kuroski, Evie Burke, and Ellie Mett, returning players who are expected to make a big impact this season. Katie said, “I’m expecting a fun season with good energy since our team is closely bonded. It was a big loss with many starting seniors gone now, but our coach has made it known there are big spots to fill and expectations needed to be met.”
Driven by last season’s run, the Westhampton Beach Hurricanes are training harder with eyes on a championship. With strong leadership, talent, and determination, this team is ready to turn the potential from last year into success this season.
