Mike Powers| News-Bulletin photo
Los Lunas standout Riley Luther, with her LLHS coaches, signed to play beach volleyball at UTEP.

Los Lunas

Without an ocean in sight, Riley Luther, of Los Lunas, has signed to play beach volleyball at the University of Texas-El Paso.

Luther, a senior outside hitter for the Tigers, will leave the hardwood for the sand in a collegiate sport that is gaining momentum.

“It is absolutely exciting,” Luther said before she formally signed with the Miners. “This is a moment I’ve waited 10 years of my life for and my dreams are coming true. I’m beyond words.”

UTEP’s beach volleyball program will begin its second season in January, as more than 90 colleges are now sponsoring the sport. Even in the desert Southwest, Luther has been playing the game for a decade at two Albuquerque facilities and in tournaments around the country.

“I’ve medaled in many beach volleyball tournaments,” Luther said. “I go to Nationals every year, so I’m very familiar with beach either here or on an actual beach.”

Beach volleyball is one of the fastest growing NCAA sports, with at least 11 conferences set to have automatic bids into the national tournament by 2025. Teams have two players on a side, using slightly different rules than traditional volleyball. “Overall, it’s a more physically demanding sport. It’s more of an intimate sport with your partner,” the LLHS senior said.

Luther had praise for her UTEP coaches, who she has worked with previously.

“We decided to recruit Riley to UTEP because of her work ethic and the belief that she will help grow the competitive culture we are trying to build,” said Daniel Foo, UTEP associate head coach.

Another plus for Luther is the less-than 4-hour trip on Interstate 25 to El Paso.

“It is very close to home, which is important,” she said, “but it’s still just far enough away that I get an independent experience.”

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Mike Powers | News-Bulletin Sports Writer
505-823-7806 | [email protected]

Mike Powers spent more than 40 years as a television news and sports anchor, mostly in the Albuquerque market. He has won numerous awards including New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year. He covers a wide range of sports, including the Valencia County prep scene.