VIDEO: Rachel Harper Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Most student athletes spend their summer taking trips hoping to relax before the grind of the school year begins. For a trio of Carson-Newman volleyball players, a journey to Long Beach, Calif. combined the leisure of a vacation with the time to refine their craft.

Seniors Kristen Pickett (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) won the Nashville Beach Women's Doubles Tournament in early June that helped them qualify for the National Collegeiate Sand Volleyball Association Tournament at the World Series of Beach Volleyball.

A torn meniscus prevented Pickett from competing in the tournament, but she expects to be ready for the season. Enter Jenna Wilson, a transfer from the University of California Santa Barbara. The 2014 signee was eager to step in and help Harper compete in the tournament.

"It was great to get to know Jenna," Harper said of her new teammate. "She's such a sweet girl. We had a fun time together. I think we learned a lot about each other. We learned a lot about sand together."

Growing up in Tennessee, Harper had very little experience on the sand and was glad she picked up the game this summer.

 "It was nothing like I've ever done," Harper said of the experience. "I loved it and I loved California. I've never been there so it was good to get a new experience."

The event coincided with an Association of Volleyball Professionals event where the best sand players in the world on the men's and women's sides gathered to play. One player stuck out to Harper, the No. 1 ranked women's player, Kerri Walsh Jennings.

"She is amazing," Harper said of the three-time Olympic gold medalist. "We got to watch her and April Ross practice on the court right next to us. That was an honor to see her play. We saw them win the match prior to getting to the championship. It brought a tear to my eyes every time she got a point."

With the start of fall camp right around the corner, Harper and the rest of the Eagles have been spending a lot of time on the sand honing their skills.

"I think it really helps with our ability to see the other side of the court to read better and use our shots more," Harper said of how the sand will translate to the hardwood. "It helps with how quick we are and our agility. It increases our overall game."

Carson-Newman opens its 2014 slate in the Route 92 Tournament in Belmont, Calif. against Notre Dame de Namur at 2 p.m. on September 5.

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