Sara Richell, currently a Varsity Assistant for Thompson High School Volleyball and practice facilitator for Birmingham Beach. Sara, a seven-year volleyball veteran, was named assistant coach to both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball at ULM in 2019.
Rishell went to ULM after a year with the Eckerd College Tritons, where she worked as a volunteer with the beach volleyball team.
Rishell, a native of Smithsburg, Maryland, was a volleyball standout at both American University and the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
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, totaling 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.
While at American, Rishell’s talent and leadership skills earned her Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team selection, Patriot League Tournament MVP, and three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week and Patriot League Player of the Week.
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.