Purcellville, Va. — Loudoun Valley High School senior Danielle Conover has made a commitment to play beach volleyball at the University of Tampa starting in the 2019-2020 school year.

“The people around me, my parents, family and coaches have been so supportive,” the 5-foot-10 Conover said. “I am grateful for the opportunities that I have been given and the ones that lie ahead.”

What lies ahead for Conover is a chance to play beach volleyball at a school that has dominated Division II indoor volleyball for the better part of two decades. In indoor, the Spartans have claimed two DII National Championships, 17 regional championships and 25 Sunshine State Conference championships, all while churning out 68 All-Americans.

Led by head coach Jeff Lamm – who served as an assistant coach for the Spartans’ indoor team for 15 seasons – Tampa played its first beach volleyball season in 2018, finishing 14-10. In 2019, the Spartans will compete at the Division I level.

“My new coaches have been extremely supportive, and I am looking forward to the high intensity of this program,” said Conover, who currently plays club for Grit Volleyball. “I will bring my enthusiasm, coachability, dependability and positivity. Beach volleyball has made me a well-rounded player that can play many different positions with different people.”

While beach volleyball programs continue to pop up around the country, indoor volleyball continues to draw huge crowds in Loudoun County. Volleyball drew Conover in more than nine years ago.

“This sport has taught me so much and helped me develop into the person I am,” Conover said. “I continue to play this sport because it challenges me physically, but also mentally, and I plan on continuing to strengthen both.”

Before heading down to Tampa, Conover will play one final season at Loudoun Valley. Conover and the Vikings are off to a great start in 2018, sitting at 4-0.

“I grew up going to games [at Loudoun Valley]and dreamed of one day getting to play in front of a big crowd. As they say, the four years flew by, and now I am in my last season of high school volleyball,” Conover said. “It has been an honor to be a part of a program that has produced so many great people and athletes, and I am excited to see how our team continues to do this year.”

On top of the opportunity to play Division I beach volleyball, Conover is excited to pursue a degree in nursing.

“Not only did I immediately fall in love with the beautiful campus, but Tampa also has a very strong nursing program, which is what I plan on studying,” Conover said. “I knew I wanted to play beach volleyball, so Tampa had the perfect balance of what I was looking for in a university.”