Pepperdine University has announced the signing of three high school athletes to its beach volleyball program for the class of 2026. Head coach Marcio Sicoli introduced Piper Owen, Makeely Rolles, and Wynter Thorne-Thomsen as the newest members of the team.
Piper Owen, a 5’10” blocker from Long Beach, California, attended Saint Joseph High School and was named Lakewood Hall of Fame Beach Player of the Year. “I absolutely love the team, the coaches, and of course, the beautiful campus! I can’t wait to be a part of it all and get a great education,” said Owen. Coach Sicoli commented on her addition: “We are so blessed Piper chose Pepperdine to be her home in college. Piper will bring a bright and strong energy to our program on and off the court. Her versatility will be immediately noticeable, both as a blocker and defender. I look forward to improving her arsenal offensively and defensively at the net and the back court!”
Makeely Rolles joins from Honolulu, Hawaii, where she played for Punahou School and achieved top ten finishes in All-National play. She is listed as a 5’8″ defender. “The Malibu location is so beautiful, and being able to look out onto the ocean from almost every point on campus is just an instant serotonin boost,” said Rolles. “The people in Malibu and at Pepperdine are all so nice and welcoming, and it feels like one big family!” Sicoli added: “We are super stoked to keep the Pepperdine tradition of bringing the best players from Hawaii to Malibu. Since the days of summer camps, Makeely was a standout defender who impressed us with her read speed and the maturity of her game. I look forward to sharpening her defensive tools to help us bring home the WCC title in the coming years!”
Wynter Thorne-Thomsen completes this year’s recruiting class as a 6’1″ blocker from Santa Barbara, California. She attended Bishop Garcia Diego High School and competed with 805 Beach Volleyball Club. Thorne-Thomsen selected Pepperdine because of its close-knit community atmosphere along with its setting in Malibu.
Coach Sicoli expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m so happy Wynter decided to come to Pepperdine for her beach volleyball career! Wynter has an incredible ability for ball control and height at the net. I believe she will improve and impact our team with her competitiveness and all-around athleticism.”
These new recruits arrive as several seniors prepare to graduate—including Emma Bubelis, Julia Caruolo, Emi Erickson, and Gabriella Perez—helping position Pepperdine’s program for future seasons.
Pepperdine’s beach volleyball program began in 2011; since then it has won two national championships (2012, 2014) within three years after inception while making five final four appearances during its first six seasons. After joining their current conference ahead of 2016 competition they have reached eight consecutive championship games through 2024.
To follow updates about Pepperdine beach volleyball or learn more about their history or players who have received All-American honors since 2012 (21 student-athletes), visit their social media channels @PepperdineBVB.
