Cal Poly Beach Volleyball finished their 2025 season ranked fourth in the country, according to previous Mustang News coverage. The team had a 31-8 record, a run to the Final Four and featured four All-American players. And now, the team is featured in a documentary telling their story.
“Kicking Up Sand” showcased the Mustangs 2025 season during its premier at the Fremont Theater last week. Director, Jon Hastings, included interviews with the coaching staff and players to tell the story of Cal Poly’s historic season.
Hastings, a Cal Poly alumni, has a background in journalism and previously worked for the SLO Tribune. He served as the editor of Volleyball Magazine, and later helped launch DiG Magazine, a beach volleyball publication.
“I think it tells a good story about the team, how much they care about the game,” Hastings said. ”That’s the most impressive thing about it.”
The documentary gives fans an in depth behind the scenes opportunity into Cal Poly’s Beach Volleyball team from the preseason to the NCAA Championship.
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A red carpet welcoming took place before the premiere outside of the theater, which was followed by a Q&A with the coaches and players to gain a deeper insight into the season. Head coach Todd Rogers was excited for his players to be featured.
“This documentary is kind of just an ode [to beach volleyball],” head coach Todd Rogers said. “I think that’s pretty cool. You’re in college, you’re going to the Fremont Theater and you’re literally up on the big screen.”
Tessa Gallo, a Cal Poly alumni and middle-back on last year’s team, attended the premiere to show support and admiration for her previous teammates and their accomplishments.
“Every moment was so enjoyable for me, especially since it was my last year,” Gallo said. “Everything just had more on the line and there was more heart because every game could’ve been our last.”.
“Kicking Up Sand” allowed every player to showcase their passion for the sport and the amount of dedication that goes into it on a daily basis.
Izzy Martinez, an English senior and All-American player stated before the premiere, “It’s definitely out of the scope of what I think most of us are used to so I’m really excited to see how [the documentary] turned out.”
“Being confident and authentically myself as possible [is] how I play my best game,” Martinez explained.
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Next season, the team hopes to continue their passion and add their own personal touches to the team as well.
“It’s just exciting looking forward to what we can do and the talent we’ll bring in and keep going forward with,” said Samantha Guenther, business freshman and outside hitter.