PENDLETON — Pendleton’s Avery Brown, a two-time Greater Oregon League (GOL) volleyball player of the year, will take her talents to the next level after signing to play beach volleyball for College of Idaho.

“We’re very excited to welcome Avery to our program,” Yotes coach Madison Machurek said. “She’s an accomplished athlete with a competitive background, and earning league player of the year honors twice speaks to both her talent and dedication to her sport. She is the perfect fit, considering her academic accomplishments and family values. Beyond her smarts, she has the work ethic and strong investment that matches our team’s culture.”

The 5-foot-10 Brown had a sensational career at Pendleton. She was a first-team GOL pick as a sophomore (198 kills, 31 blocks). Her junior year, she was named the GOL player of the year after helping the Bucks to a 19-7 season. She finished the season with 247 kills, 108 blocks, 70 digs and 29 service aces.

Brown was also named the GOL player of the year her senior year. She was a dominant hitter with 279 kills, 68 blocks, 111 digs, 87 service points and 40 aces.

Though she had a great career playing indoors, Brown said she likes the challenges of beach volleyball.

“Over the last couple of years, I definitely shifted more toward sand,” Brown said. “I just like how in sand you do everything. Indoors, you are funneled into one position. I’m a middle, you block and hit. This way, I get to do a little of everything.”

Brown started playing beach volleyball her freshman year of high school and fell in love with it.

“I started playing to improve my indoor game,” she said. “I just really loved it and continued to do it.”

Brown, plays for the Kokua VBC Beach club team out of Spokane, though this summer is playing for its satellite team in the Tri-Cities.

“Last year, I drove there (Spokane) more often,” she said. “This summer, I am staying more local. I try to play as much as I can, but normally at least two to three days a week. Sand pit training is harder with the distance.”

Machurek said there are definitely some differences between indoor and beach volleyball, but many of the core skills translate well.

“Beach requires athletes to cover more court, make a wider variety of plays and adapt to environmental factors, so there is an adjustment period,” Machurek said. “That said, Avery’s beach volleyball IQ, ball control and size will make that transition smoother.”

Machurek, a former College of Idaho player, joined the Yotes beach volleyball program in 2023 to build the team for their inaugural season in 2024.

“As a young program, we’re always looking for student-athletes who can elevate the level of competition and will fit into the College of Idaho community,” Machurek said. “We believe Avery has the potential to make an immediate impact, and we’re excited to see how she continues to develop as a young beach player.”

The Yotes went 7-10 overall this past season, and finished 0-2 at the Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament April 9, in Ashland, losing to Corban University 3-1 and to Bushnell University 3-2.

“I initially looked at the school initially because of beach volleyball,” Brown said, who will major in political economy. “I fell in love with the campus and the people I met. It worked out pretty well.”

And Brown said she connected with Machurek from the start.

“That was one of the biggest factors,” Brown said. “I connected really well with the coach. Even with my first phone call, it just seemed like the right fit. She cares about the athletes and how they are doing.”

The College of Idaho just completed its indoor beach volleyball facility, so the players can now practice year-round.

“You try and play outside as much as possible, but we will be able to practice in that,” Brown said. “You can play beach volleyball anywhere as long as you have a sand pit. It’s more widespread than it seems. There are a lot of programs, even in landlocked states.”

With beach volleyball being a two-person sport, Brown said pairings will be decided once practices start in the fall.

“It’s like tennis, your top five pairs compete and they count toward the final score,” Brown said. “We will play a bunch and figure out the pairings.”