Sara Rishell joins the Triton beach volleyball coaching staff as a volunteer assistant for the 2018 season.

Rishell, a native of Smithsburg, Maryland, was a volleyball standout at both American University and the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  At American, she was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year as a freshman and earned all-conference honors as a sophomore.

She transferred to UAB for her junior season where, as a middle blocker, she was a two-time first-team all-conference selection.  Rishell led the team in points as a junior and was the team-leader in blocks in both her junior and senior seasons, totalling 227 in her two seasons with the Blazers.

Rishell was also a member of UAB's beach volleyball team in 2015 and 2016, winning 28 contests while playing mostly in the No. 1 and 2 draws.

Rishell excelled at multiple sports at Smithburg High School.  In volleyball, she was two-time Herald Mail Player of the Year and earned all-state honors in 2010.  She also set the school's career records in basketball for rebounds and blocked shots and won a state championship in track and field while placing second in the triple jump.