Florida State University Athletics
Chacon Back To Lead FSU Beach Volleyball Team
10/9/2023 5:10:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball, SAAC, Student-Athlete Development
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For Morgan Chacon of the nationally ranked Florida State Beach Volleyball team, her all-star career began with a flier announcing tryouts for the volleyball team back in middle school.
It was then, at age 12, that Chacon and her sisters, Alaina and Savana, developed an affinity for the sport that has taken all three to places they never thought possible.
Fortunately for the Florida State Beach Volleyball program, one of those places is Tallahassee. Chacon enjoyed an All-ACC career as a member of the Seminoles' indoor volleyball team and is a two-time Coastal Collegiate Sports Association All-Tournament team selection playing beach volleyball at Florida State. Alaina was an AVCA All-American member of Florida State's beach volleyball team during her career. She earned All-CCSA First Team and All-Tournament team honors in 2021. She is currently a scouting analyst for the Seminoles after earning five varsity letters in beach and leading Florida State to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Savana is a current standout indoor player at Long Beach State.
"When Alaina and I were younger, if one sister tried a sport the other two would end up signing up," said Chacon. "I asked my mom if I could play, and she signed me up for a short club season. I had an awesome coach who helped our team really enjoy playing together, and I ended up liking it and sticking with the game."
Now in her fifth season as a member of the Florida State beach team, Chacon earned a 4-1 record as Florida State began play on their five-match fall season at the AVCA Fall Pairs National Championship in Huntsville, Ala. during the first week of October.
Chacon enjoyed a meteoric rise on the volleyball court and quickly became a standout prep player. She was named the Northwest Indiana Times Volleyball Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, was an Under Armour Third-Team All-American, named to the AVCA Phenom list in 2016 and was a USA Volleyball All-American in 2017.
When it came time to choosing which college program to join, Chacon and Alaina did what they always do by both making the trip to Florida State on Alaina's official visit.
"Alaina was originally recruited here for beach volleyball and that's how I learned about the school," said Chacon. "I tagged along on her visit, and thought the school was beautiful. When I was being recruited a year later, I was excited about the opportunity to play both indoor and beach volleyball at an elite level. Being able to play at the same college as my sister, and have family while being far from home, was also a big part of choosing Florida State."
Alaina certainly made a name for herself on the beach volleyball courts as a two-time All-American, an All-CCSA, and All-CCSA Tournament team selection.
"The years we spent at Florida State University hold a special place in my heart," said Alaina. "Starting from our backyard volleyball games, to the incredible opportunity to play college volleyball together – each step of our journey was a gift. Being away from home brought us even closer, strengthening our friendship and teaching us what true support meant on and off the court."
Chacon began establishing her legacy when she arrived on campus in 2018.
She played four seasons as a member of the indoor volleyball team and is ranked in Florida State's top-20 for service attempts (16th, 579), digs (16th, 2.9 per game), games played (17th, 443), and kill attempts (18th, 2,175). She is also ranked 25th in school history with 800 career points earned. Chacon won 16 matches including 11 against ranked opponents in leading the Seminoles to the semifinals of the 2023 NCAA Beach Volleyball Tournament.
Chacon earned four varsity letters in indoor volleyball and will earn her fifth letter in beach this season but has decided to make a career in the sand rather than on the hardwood.
"I enjoy both sports for very different reasons," said Chacon. "I love the intensity of indoor volleyball. I love the freedom of beach volleyball and the culture of the sport. I love that in either sport you can be creative and have your own style as a player. Now that I only play beach volleyball, I am really enjoying this new opportunity to focus my time and effort toward the sport."
Chacon's growing legacy nearly did not happen after suffering a leg injury in the Indiana State High School Championships in November of 2017. Her plans to enroll early at Florida State were in jeopardy when she came down on a teammates' foot and broke the tibia and fibula in her right leg. Doctors inserted a metal rod with several screws into Chacon's right leg to stabilize the tibia, while the fibula was left to fuse on its own.
Her college career did not begin for another year as she took a medical redshirt while undergoing extensive rehabilitation with Florida State's training staff.
She persevered, continued her career, and feels that she is a better person, as well as a better athlete, because of her year away from the sport she loves.
"I found confidence from my journey recovering from that injury," said Chacon. "It brought me some of the most mentally testing experiences I had been through; I learned a lot about myself and my ability to handle difficult circumstances. I learned how to be resilient, and I built mental toughness within myself, which I do not think I would have the same foundation had I not had those experiences.
"I believe that I came out of the situation a stronger person," said Chacon. "I believe in myself more than ever. I learned that my mindset was more powerful than I thought it was in the face of a difficult situation. I also learned to be grateful for the opportunities I have in volleyball and appreciate the fact that I am still playing. I created these mental foundations for myself before I even started playing in college, and these are realizations that many players have at some point."
"I was lucky to be able to learn these lessons at a young age."
Chacon is also lucky to have grown up as the middle Chacon sister – one year younger than Alaina, and three years older than Savana.
"The bond and relationship I have with my sisters is the most important piece of my life," said Chacon. "Our bond is so special and sacred to me that it is hard to summarize into a short answer. Being close in age has made us best friends, and it allowed us to share so many incredible moments. I am so grateful that I have two sisters who play college volleyball, and we get to support each other's individual journeys."
Chacon transferred to Long Beach State and played indoor in 2022 before deciding to retire and concentrate on beach. She returned to Florida State to finish her beach career and earn two academic degrees. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Social and Sustainable Enterprises and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Athletic Coaching.
"Morgan is an incredible person and teammate," said Seminole teammate Maddie Anderson. "I've had the opportunity to be on the same as her all my years at Florida State. When she left FSU for a semester and that she might not be on the team in spring of 2023, was when I realized how big of an impact she had on our team."
Also a star academically, Chacon has earned FSU President's List honors for a perfect 4.0 GPA during the spring of 2018, Dean's List honors five times and been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll three times.
"Morgan is an unbelievable competitor and volleyball player," said Florida State Head Coach Brooke Niles. "It has been such a joy being a part of her journey. She is a dominant sideout player and point scorer and makes everyone on our team better. We are so lucky to have her on our team for another year."
As only sisters can, Alaina eloquently summarized their relationship with ech other and Florida State University.
"Our experience was uniquely special; Florida State not only gave us an education but allowed us to live out our dream of playing college volleyball, and we did it together. These were years of growth, laughter, and shared dreams, and I'll forever cherish every moment."
It was then, at age 12, that Chacon and her sisters, Alaina and Savana, developed an affinity for the sport that has taken all three to places they never thought possible.
Fortunately for the Florida State Beach Volleyball program, one of those places is Tallahassee. Chacon enjoyed an All-ACC career as a member of the Seminoles' indoor volleyball team and is a two-time Coastal Collegiate Sports Association All-Tournament team selection playing beach volleyball at Florida State. Alaina was an AVCA All-American member of Florida State's beach volleyball team during her career. She earned All-CCSA First Team and All-Tournament team honors in 2021. She is currently a scouting analyst for the Seminoles after earning five varsity letters in beach and leading Florida State to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Savana is a current standout indoor player at Long Beach State.
"When Alaina and I were younger, if one sister tried a sport the other two would end up signing up," said Chacon. "I asked my mom if I could play, and she signed me up for a short club season. I had an awesome coach who helped our team really enjoy playing together, and I ended up liking it and sticking with the game."
Now in her fifth season as a member of the Florida State beach team, Chacon earned a 4-1 record as Florida State began play on their five-match fall season at the AVCA Fall Pairs National Championship in Huntsville, Ala. during the first week of October.
Chacon enjoyed a meteoric rise on the volleyball court and quickly became a standout prep player. She was named the Northwest Indiana Times Volleyball Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, was an Under Armour Third-Team All-American, named to the AVCA Phenom list in 2016 and was a USA Volleyball All-American in 2017.
When it came time to choosing which college program to join, Chacon and Alaina did what they always do by both making the trip to Florida State on Alaina's official visit.
"Alaina was originally recruited here for beach volleyball and that's how I learned about the school," said Chacon. "I tagged along on her visit, and thought the school was beautiful. When I was being recruited a year later, I was excited about the opportunity to play both indoor and beach volleyball at an elite level. Being able to play at the same college as my sister, and have family while being far from home, was also a big part of choosing Florida State."
Alaina certainly made a name for herself on the beach volleyball courts as a two-time All-American, an All-CCSA, and All-CCSA Tournament team selection.
"The years we spent at Florida State University hold a special place in my heart," said Alaina. "Starting from our backyard volleyball games, to the incredible opportunity to play college volleyball together – each step of our journey was a gift. Being away from home brought us even closer, strengthening our friendship and teaching us what true support meant on and off the court."
Chacon began establishing her legacy when she arrived on campus in 2018.
She played four seasons as a member of the indoor volleyball team and is ranked in Florida State's top-20 for service attempts (16th, 579), digs (16th, 2.9 per game), games played (17th, 443), and kill attempts (18th, 2,175). She is also ranked 25th in school history with 800 career points earned. Chacon won 16 matches including 11 against ranked opponents in leading the Seminoles to the semifinals of the 2023 NCAA Beach Volleyball Tournament.
Chacon earned four varsity letters in indoor volleyball and will earn her fifth letter in beach this season but has decided to make a career in the sand rather than on the hardwood.
"I enjoy both sports for very different reasons," said Chacon. "I love the intensity of indoor volleyball. I love the freedom of beach volleyball and the culture of the sport. I love that in either sport you can be creative and have your own style as a player. Now that I only play beach volleyball, I am really enjoying this new opportunity to focus my time and effort toward the sport."
Chacon's growing legacy nearly did not happen after suffering a leg injury in the Indiana State High School Championships in November of 2017. Her plans to enroll early at Florida State were in jeopardy when she came down on a teammates' foot and broke the tibia and fibula in her right leg. Doctors inserted a metal rod with several screws into Chacon's right leg to stabilize the tibia, while the fibula was left to fuse on its own.
Her college career did not begin for another year as she took a medical redshirt while undergoing extensive rehabilitation with Florida State's training staff.
She persevered, continued her career, and feels that she is a better person, as well as a better athlete, because of her year away from the sport she loves.
"I found confidence from my journey recovering from that injury," said Chacon. "It brought me some of the most mentally testing experiences I had been through; I learned a lot about myself and my ability to handle difficult circumstances. I learned how to be resilient, and I built mental toughness within myself, which I do not think I would have the same foundation had I not had those experiences.
"I believe that I came out of the situation a stronger person," said Chacon. "I believe in myself more than ever. I learned that my mindset was more powerful than I thought it was in the face of a difficult situation. I also learned to be grateful for the opportunities I have in volleyball and appreciate the fact that I am still playing. I created these mental foundations for myself before I even started playing in college, and these are realizations that many players have at some point."
"I was lucky to be able to learn these lessons at a young age."
Chacon is also lucky to have grown up as the middle Chacon sister – one year younger than Alaina, and three years older than Savana.
"The bond and relationship I have with my sisters is the most important piece of my life," said Chacon. "Our bond is so special and sacred to me that it is hard to summarize into a short answer. Being close in age has made us best friends, and it allowed us to share so many incredible moments. I am so grateful that I have two sisters who play college volleyball, and we get to support each other's individual journeys."
Chacon transferred to Long Beach State and played indoor in 2022 before deciding to retire and concentrate on beach. She returned to Florida State to finish her beach career and earn two academic degrees. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Social and Sustainable Enterprises and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Athletic Coaching.
"Morgan is an incredible person and teammate," said Seminole teammate Maddie Anderson. "I've had the opportunity to be on the same as her all my years at Florida State. When she left FSU for a semester and that she might not be on the team in spring of 2023, was when I realized how big of an impact she had on our team."
Also a star academically, Chacon has earned FSU President's List honors for a perfect 4.0 GPA during the spring of 2018, Dean's List honors five times and been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll three times.
"Morgan is an unbelievable competitor and volleyball player," said Florida State Head Coach Brooke Niles. "It has been such a joy being a part of her journey. She is a dominant sideout player and point scorer and makes everyone on our team better. We are so lucky to have her on our team for another year."
As only sisters can, Alaina eloquently summarized their relationship with ech other and Florida State University.
"Our experience was uniquely special; Florida State not only gave us an education but allowed us to live out our dream of playing college volleyball, and we did it together. These were years of growth, laughter, and shared dreams, and I'll forever cherish every moment."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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