Cal Beach Volleyball Camps

Meagan Owusu is entering her eighth season in charge of the Cal beach volleyball program in 2023-24.

Owusu is one of the rising stars in collegiate beach volleyball as she has inserted Cal's program into the national conversation of NCAA beach volleyball, the Bears finished the 2023 season in 7th place in the final AVCA poll, the sixth consecutive year that Cal has been a top-12 team at year's end. She has taken Cal to two-straight NCAA Championship appearances and led the program to it's first tournament win last season.

The 2023 season saw the Bears once again reach new heights by breaking the program wins record and finish the year with a record of 29-10. Reaching the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year, Cal won it's first tournament match defeating ninth-seeded Long Beach State 3-2, before falling in the second round to No. 1 UCLA 3-1. The Pac-12 Tournament also brought newfound success as the Bears reached the tournament final for the first time in program history with a second round win over No. 2 USC along the way. Newcomers Sierra Caffo and Liz Waters-Leiga were both named AVCA Second Team All-Americans, and seniors Ainsley Radell and Ashley Delgado joined them on the All-Pac-12 Team.

2022 was a landmark season for the Bears as they made their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championship. Cal set a school record for wins as the Bears went 26-14, while recording six ranked victories. Cal also finished third at the Pac-12 tournament for the third time in the past four years under Owusu. Mima Mirkovic and Ana Costa were both named AVCA Second Team All-Americans. Lexi McKeown and Ella Dreibholz combined for 23 victories as a tandem, as the duo recorded the second-most wins in a season by a pair, despite both players being in their first season with the program.

Owusu gave birth to triplets in the spring of 2020 and missed the entirety of the 2020 season on maternity leave. She left the program in October 2020, but was rehired to lead the program in July of 2021 after one season away.

Owusu led the Bears to a No. 10 final national ranking in 2019. Cal completed the year with a 22-9 record, including eight wins vs. teams ranked in the AVCA poll. Cal finished the season by taking third place in the Pac-12. Mima Mirkovic was named an honorable mention All-American by both the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine. Jordan Polo earned the same honor from Volleyball Magazine and was tabbed as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Mirkovic was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team while Polo and Caroline Schafer earned second team honors.

Cal went 24-8 in 2018, easily the best record to date in the program's history. Cal finished No. 12 in the final AVCA Rankings and took third place in the ultra-competitive Pac-12. Under Owusu's stewardship, Cal produced its first All-Americans in No. 5 pair Grace Campbell and Maddie Micheletti and first All-Pac-12 selections with First Team pick Mima Mirkovic and Second Team selection Iya Lindahl. The Bears have also risen to the occasion against the stiffest competition, knocking off a slew of ranked teams, including a victory over then-No. 4 USC last season.

In April of 2018, Owusu received the prestigious "Thirty Under 30" Award by the AVCA, which recognizes 30 up-and-coming coaching talents under the age of 30 across the country. In January of 2020, Owusu was named as an Under 40 Coaching Hotshot by Volleyball Magazine.

Owusu has also established a cultural of excellence in the classroom, having produced 33 Pac-12 All-Academic selections, including four First Team picks. The Bears have also won the Newmark Award twice for having the highest cumulative GPA among all sports at Cal. In 2019, all nine student-athletes who met the playing standards to qualify for the All-Academic team were on the team.

During the summer of 2021, Owusu was selected as the coach for the USA Collegiate Beach National Team at their annual camp. That came after she spent the summer of 2019 coaching with USA Volleyball as the High Performance coach for the U15A1 squad. She was charged with guiding some of the best young talent in the United States at an international championship event in Santa Monica.

Owusu, a Cal alum who is one of only two players ever to play in two NCAA Final Fours for the Bears' indoor team, returned to Cal as an Associate Head Coach in 2015 and was elevated to head coach the following season while Rich Feller was named Director of Volleyball. As Associate Head Coach, Owusu ran all the day-to-day operations of the program.

Owusu, formerly Meagan Schmitt, was a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection during her tenure as a defensive specialist for the Bears. She was a team captain in 2010 and helped Cal make its only two Final Four appearances in school history in 2007 and 2010. She also helped guide the Golden Bears to a pair of NCAA Elite Eight berths.

Immediately after graduating from Cal with a degree in American Studies and a minor in education, Owusu became a volunteer assistant coach for Loyola Marymount’s indoor team. She was promoted to full-time assistant the following year.

When Loyola Marymount debuted its sand volleyball program in 2013, Owusu became a full-time assistant coach for that program as well. She helped lead the Lions to a No. 8 final ranking in 2014 and twice led Loyola to the AVCA Sand National Championships. She also helped produce two AVCA San All-Americans.

As a full-time assistant for Loyola Marymount's indoor program in 2012, she helped lead the Lions to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005 with an 18-13 record. She was also instrumental in helping libero Betsi Metter earn West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.

Owusu received her Master's degree in Education from Loyola Marymount in 2014.

Owusu is married to former Cal football player Ernest Owusu, who played for the Bears from 2008-11 and the couple has triplets named Ruthie, Louie and Henry.

Owusu, formerly Meagan Schmitt, was a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection during her tenure as a defensive specialist for the Bears. She was a team captain in 2010 and helped Cal make its only two Final Four appearances in school history in 2007 and 2010. She also helped guide the Golden Bears to a pair of NCAA Elite Eight berths.

Immediately after graduating from Cal with a degree in American Studies and a minor in education, Owusu became a volunteer assistant coach for Loyola Marymount’s indoor team. She was promoted to full-time assistant the following year.

When Loyola Marymount debuted its sand volleyball program in 2013, Owusu became a full-time assistant coach for that program as well. She helped lead the Lions to a No. 8 final ranking in 2014 and twice led Loyola to the AVCA Sand National Championships. She also helped produce two AVCA San All-Americans.

As a full-time assistant for Loyola Marymount's indoor program in 2012, she helped lead the Lions to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005 with an 18-13 record. She was also instrumental in helping libero Betsi Metter earn West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.

Owusu received her Master's degree in Education from Loyola Marymount in 2014.

Owusu is married to former Cal football player Ernest Owusu, who played for the Bears from 2008-11 and the couple has triplets named Ruthie, Louie and Henry.

Joseph Mayer enters his third season with the Bears in 2024, his first as associate head coach. he previously served as an assistant coach.

Mayer helped the Bears reach new heights in 2023 once again breaking the program wins record with a 29-10 mark. Cal reached the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year and picked up its first tournament win defeating No. 9 Long Beach State 3-1. The Bears also reached the Pac-12 Tournament Final for the first time finishing as the runners-up.

In his first season working with the Bears, Cal set a school record for wins at 26 and made its first-ever appearance at the NCAA Tournament. The Bears recorded six ranked victories and finished third at the Pac-12 tournament. Mima Mirkovic and Ana Costa were both named AVCA Second Team All-Americans. Lexi McKeown and Ella Dreibholz combined for 23 victories as a tandem, as the duo recorded the second-most wins in a season by a pair, despite both players being in their first season with the program.

Additionally, Mayer was named an AVCA Thirty Under 30 honoree for his work with the Bears in 2022.

Mayer came to Cal after serving as the volunteer assistant for the Loyola Marymount beach volleyball and indoor volleyball teams for the past two years. With the beach program, he coached primarily with the team's third and sixth pair. The third pair was one of the nation's best, as they finished with a 33-5 record in 2021 and won two matches at the NCAA Championship. The LMU squad posted a 31-8 record last year, won their second straight WCC Championship, and finished the season ranked No. 3 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. The Lions recorded 17 ranked wins in Mayer's two seasons with the program.

Prior to working at LMU, Mayer was a volunteer assistant for the USC indoor volleyball team in 2019. He has also spent time coaching with Surfside Volleyball Club and Manhattan Beach Surf Volleyball Club. With Surfside, he has coached girls in the MB 14, MB 15 and MB 16 age groups. He helped the MB 16 squad win a silver medal in the American Division at Junior Nationals.

He led his 14 1's boys team at Manhattan Beach Surf Volleyball Club to a silver medal in the open division at Junior Nationals. He also assisted with the 18 1's team that took bronze at the SCVA Boys Invitational in the open division.

Mayer has a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Lindenwood University in Missouri. He was a setter on their indoor team. Prior to Lindenwood he earned his Associates Degree from Santa Monica College as he helped lead SMC to a CCCAA State Championship in 2015. He won the General Advisory Board's Men's Volleyball Athlete of the Year award in 2016.

Dancer Styles enters his fourth season on the Cal Beach Volleyball staff for the 2024 season, his first as an assistant coach. He previously served as a volunteer assistant coach.

Styles helped the Bears reach new heights in 2023 once again breaking the program wins record with a 29-10 mark. Cal reached the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year and picked up its first tournament win defeating No. 9 Long Beach State 3-1. The Bears also reached the Pac-12 Tournament Final for the first time finishing as the runners-up.

2022 was a landmark season for the Bears as they made their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Tournament. Cal set a school record for wins as the Bears went 26-14, while recording six ranked victories. Cal also finished third at the Pac-12 tournament for the second straight year with Styles on staff. Mima Mirkovic and Ana Costa were both named AVCA Second Team All-Americans. Lexi McKeown and Ella Dreibholz combined for 23 victories as a tandem, as the duo recorded the second-most wins in a season by a pair, despite both players being in their first season with the program.

In his first year with the program, Styles helped the Bears to a 16-13 record as Cal claimed five ranked wins and four wins over top-10 teams. The four top-10 wins in 2021 equaled the amount Cal had in program history prior to 2021. The Bears defeated No. 6 Hawaii, No. 8 Arizona and twice defeated Stanford while they were ranked in the top 10. Cal also claimed a win over No. 11 Pepperdine to round out their ranked wins. Cal moved up to No. 8 in the AVCA Poll early in the 2021 season, the highest the Bears have been ranked in school history.

He is an accomplished beach volleyball player and coach. At the age of 17, he became the youngest player in AVP history to qualify for the main draw in Manhattan Beach, California. He has spent many years playing on and off the AVP tour.

In 2011, Styles returned to coaching and began consulting for several youth organizations and high schools. In 2013, he became the assistant coach for the Branson School girl’s varsity squad. The team won the CIF Division V State Championship in 2015 and was the runner-up in 2013 and 2014. Styles also serves as the head coach of Branson’s JV squad.

In 2013, Styles founded Golden Gate Volleyball, a beach club based in Sausalito, California. As part of the club he worked with current Caroline Schafer and Katie Smoot. Schafer graduated in spring 2021, while Smoot has one year left to play.