Following the conclusion of his third season at the helm of the LMU beach volleyball program, John Mayer has announced a talented group of newcomers who will compete for the Lions next season. Mayer has committed Sylvia Hernandez, Megan Nash and Sydnie Herrmann for the 2019 campaign. Hernandez and Nash are fifth-year transfers who will play one season with the Lions after exhausting their indoor eligibility at other institutions, while Herrmann will be entering her freshman campaign.

Hernandez, a native of Miami, Fla., played four years as a defensive specialist at Miami, most recently guiding the Hurricanes to an NCAA Tournament appearance after going 22-6. In her final campaign, Hernandez appeared in all 110 sets, serving up 28 aces and recording a team-best 437 digs. Over her four-year career, Hernandez compiled 1,047 digs and 53 service aces.

"Sylvia has played for some great coaches who have similar principles as ours, so I think the transition will be seamless," Mayer said. "She had a great indoor career at Miami and her ball control will transfer nicely to the college beach game. Sylvia is also a stud of an athlete and volleyball player who is hungry to learn and ready to take on the challenges of the beach game."

Nash, from Oakville, Ontario, made her third-consecutive appearance on the All-Southland Conference First Team in 2017 following a strong senior campaign that ultimately saw the Sugar Bears win the SLC Tournament title and reach the NCAA Tournament. Nash started all 32 matches as a senior, registering 264 kills at a rate of 2.30 per set while hitting .297. She also served up a team-best 38 aces while leading the team in blocks with 113 (.98 per set). In the classroom, the 2015 SLC Student-Athlete of the Year, claimed a trio of SLC All-Academic First Team picks after carrying a 3.96 GPA as an exercise science major.

"Megan brings a real physical presence to our team," Mayer stated. "She makes life hard on opposing attackers with the things she can do at the net. She had a ton of success at the 1's for UCA in her two years playing beach for them, and we are really excited to have her continue to grow as a high-level player this season."

On the beach, Nash finished 16-7 in 2018 while playing alongside Haley Tippett at UCA. The duo was 13-4 at the top spot in the order, and eventually earned national recognition by being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's inaugural Top Flight Team. The Top Flight Team, designed to reward hard work and consistency regardless of roster position, recognizes pairs that compete together and at a particular spot in at least 15 matches and win at least 75% of those matches, regardless of overall dual results.

Mayer went on to say, "both grad students will bring with them a wealth of experiences from their indoor careers, and we can't wait to have them make an impact on our culture."

Herrmann graduated from Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Ill. this past spring. On the indoor circuit, Herrmann guided her team to a 29-9 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in DuPage Valley play to capture the League Championship during her final campaign. On the beach, she competed for Team One Volleyball Club and won the 2017 USAV North Coast Open Championship.

"Sydnie is a dynamic player from the suburbs of Chicago," Mayer said. "She's a quick-twitch athlete who'll have the ability to block or defend at the college level. She's already shown a commitment to learning in her training at the juniors level, which is why she's made such great improvements in her game her senior season. She'll contribute a ton to this program in her four years as a Lion!"

LMU carried the #2 seed in the 2018 West Coast Conference Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament last spring, eventually reaching the semifinal round and finishing the year with a 22-14 overall record.