Volleyball Voices

Gulf Shores, Alabama to host 2012 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships

 

 

 

 

Gulf Shores, Alabama to host 2012 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships 

Lexington, Ky. (November 11, 2011) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association is pleased to announce that the inaugural AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships will be held in Gulf Shores, Alabama, April 27-29, 2012.  “We, as the AVCA Sand Volleyball committee, are extremely excited to have the Gulf Coast Region of USA Volleyball host our first varsity championships,” said committee chair and Pepperdine University coach, Nina Matthias. “Gulf Shores is a beautiful beach and a wonderful setting to launch our emerging sport. The central location enables many of the universities sponsoring sand volleyball to attend with reasonable travel costs. It should be a fantastic weekend and an awesome way to finish the first collegiate sand volleyball season!”

Located in the north-central region of the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Shores boasts some of the world best white sand beaches.  The Gulf Coast Region of USA Volleyball will be supported by many businesses in the local area.  “On behalf of all communities on the Northern Gulf Coast, we are both honored and excited to be selected to host the 2012 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships,” said Philip Bryant, Commissioner of the Gulf Coast Region. “Gulf Shores in April is a delightful location; always friendly, always warm and always a memorable destination. We have a passion for the sport of sand volleyball and look forward to partnering with the AVCA and each university.”

The 2012 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championship will consist of both a Team Championship (which will include the top four NCAA women’s sand teams) and a Pairs Championship (which will consist of the top 16 collegiate doubles teams).  Invitations to participate will be based on 2012 season results and tournament selections will be made by a committee.

 

“We are encouraged by the enthusiasm for collegiate sand volleyball from different parts of the country,” said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. “Getting this bid was the result of a community-wide effort by the city of Gulf Shores, Vince Thompson of MELT and many others.  I fully believe they will put together a terrific event.”    

In addition to the Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championship, Gulf Shores will play host to both an adult and a junior’s sand tournament during the weekend. The AVCA hopes to bring together beach players of all ages in conjunction with the Championship to promote the growth of this emerging sport.

Former Blue Devil Tealle Hunkus and Partner Heather Lowe Win NVL Beach Volleyball Championship

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Former Blue Devil Tealle Hunkus and Partner Heather Lowe Win NVL Beach Volleyball Championship

 

May 25, 2011

 

BALTIMORE – Former Duke volleyball player Tealle Hunkus and National Volleyball League partner Heather Lowe claimed the inaugural NVL Championship with a 21-17, 24-22 victory over the No. 1-seeded duo of Annett Davis and Lisa Rutledge.

 

Hunkus and Lowe took down the previously undefeated duo of Davis and Rutledge in the NVL final on the Pimlico Infield during the 136th Preakness Stakes last Saturday. The championship marked the start of the inaugural season of the National Volleyball League, which draws players – including Hunkus and Lowe – from the formerly renowned AVP Tour.

 

Hunkus and Lowe dropped their opening match to the second-seeded duo of Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik, but then rattled off three straight wins to climb from the consolation bracket back into the semifinal where they squared off against Kropp and Pavlik once again. The second time around, Hunkus and Lowe needed just 48 minutes to take down the second-seeded team 21-17, 21-19 and advance to the finals.

 

To view the recap from the NVL's website, click the link below:
http://www.thenvl.com/news/headlines/hunkus-and-lowe-upset-number-one-seed-davis-and-rutledge-in-preakness-womens-final

 

A photo montage is available, courtesy of the NVL, at the following link:

http://thenvl.com/videos/baltimore-winners

 

A four-year letterwinner, two-time All-ACC, All-East Region and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention during her career at Duke, Hunkus has played professional beach volleyball since 2007 and has also competed with the USAV U-26 Beach National Team.

 

Miami Volleyball Performs Well at Fiesta on Siesta Key

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Miami Volleyball Performs Well at Fiesta on Siesta Key

Hurricanes conclude spring season in style at collegiate beach tourney.

 

SIESTA KEY, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team completed its spring slate on Saturday, April 16, taking part in the Third Annual Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Tournament in Siesta Key, Fla. The Hurricanes finished tied for second overall on the day.

 

Under the direction of 10th-year head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch, the UMiami volleyball team continues to support what is becoming an ever-growing trend of collegiate volleyball played on sand. Beach volleyball is vastly becoming a widely-revered sport around the country. A lot of collegiate teams are beginning to participate in beach-sanctioned events throughout the spring practice/schedule period, especially teams in Florida.

 

The Canes finished the day with 262 points and tied for second place with Webber International University, while ending the event just three points away from first place. Miami finished ahead of the University of Florida (251 points), while UCF finished in first with 265 total points.

 

The Hurricanes were led on the afternoon by three teams advancing to the Gold Division, including the combination of Lane Carico and Ryan Shaffer. The team’s leader in kills (Carico with 471) and digs (Shaffer with 539) was certainly one to watch going into the weekend, while the duo of Katie Gallagher and Ali Becker also advanced to the Gold Division.

 

Gallagher finished the 2010 campaign as the team leader in assists (1,211), while Becker ended the season as the team’s leader in blocks (96).

 

The other team advancing to the Gold Division was the trio of Christine Williamson, Lizzie Hale and Taylor Hollins.

 

For Gallagher and Becker, though not competing as teammates – this is the second time in as many years both student-athletes have advanced to the Gold Division of the Fiesta on Siesta Key, in addition to outside hitter Lane Carico who did it last season with Lici McGee.

 

The combination of setter Nrithya Sundararaman and Alexandria Johnson won out in the Silver Division, while the trio of Emani Sims, Julia Giampaolo and Mariel Schofield won the Copper Division.

 

The teams of three subbed in during the event.

 

On the day, the Canes also finished ahead of Division I schools from Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida in the final standings.

 

The Hurricanes end the spring season with wins against FIU, Florida State, UCF, North Florida, Miami Dade College and Nova Southeastern in court competition. The 2011 fall schedule is set to be released shortly, as well as the 2011 roster with the latest signings and up-to-date news.

 

For further information on the Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Tournament, please log on to www.fiestaonsiestakey.com.

 

Women's Pepperdine Volleyball: Kim Hill and Caitlin Racich Win 2011 USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge

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Women's Volleyball: Kim Hill and Caitlin Racich Win 2011 USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge

 

Hill and Racich Win 2011 USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge

 

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. – The team of Kim Hill and Caitlin Racich captured the gold division title at the 2011 USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge in Hermosa Beach on Saturday to lead Pepperdine to the team win.  The Waves scored a total of 640 points in the team cup standings to edge USC by 20.

 

Twenty-seven teams battled in nine different pools, with the top 10 pairs advancing to the gold division.  The next eight teams went on to compete in the silver bracket, while the remaining squads battled in either a bronze or a seniors’ division.

 

All four Pepperdine teams advanced to the gold division.

 

“We played real good volleyball this weekend,” boasted head women’s volleyball coach Nina Matthies. “Everyone competed hard and it was a great way to end our spring season.”

 

Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) and Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) went a perfect 2-0 in pool play before topping Aly Squires and Pauline Akers of UC Irvine 2-1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-9) in the quarterfinals of the single-elimination gold division playoff.

 

The semifinal matchup featured Hill and Racich against the Trojans’ Katie Fuller and Kendall Bateman.  The Waves won in two sets to advance to the championship match.

 

Emily Cook (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) and Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) also emerged from their pool with a gold division bid despite being the lowest seeded pair in their pool. 

 

In the playoffs, they opened with come-from-behind win against Haleigh Hampton and Ashley Lee of Long Beach State before taking on top-seeded Geena Urango and Natalie Hagglund.  Cook and Robinson stunned the favorites with a two set (21-14, 21-17) triumph to earn a spot in the finals along with their teammates.

 

In the all-Pepperdine final, Hill and Racich claimed the victory 2-0 (21-15, 21-11).

 

Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) and Kellie Woolever (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) won their pool and reached the quarterfinals of the gold division playoffs to finish in a tie for fifth place overall.

 

Kelli Branning (Menlo Park, Calif./Menlo-Atherton HS) and Kelley Larsen (Jamul, Calif./Christian HS) also reached the gold division playoffs and tied for ninth place.

 

A four-person team exhibition match was also contested, featuring Krista Friedman ( La Verne, Calif./St. Lucy’s Priory HS), Brittney Clark (San Jose, Calif./Presentation HS), Janea Rosell (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS) and Ashley Broadwell (Bothell, Wash./Archbishop Murphy HS) versus a quartet from UC Irvine.  After eight sets were played, the squads ended in a 4-4 tie.

 

Pepperdine topped team cup rankings with 640 points, followed by USC’s 620.  Long Beach State placed third as a team with 380, followed by UC Santa Barbara with a fourth-best 320 points. UC Irvine, Fresno State and Oxnard College finished in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

 

Click here (http://usavolleyball.org/news/2011/04/17/pepperdine-makes-waves-at-beach-collegiate-championship/41884?ngb_id=2) to read USAVolleybal.org’s tournament recap.

UCF Volleyball Wins Second-Straight Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Crown

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UCF Volleyball Wins Second-Straight Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Crown

Knights Win Event

 

SIESTA KEY, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) – For the second-straight season, the UCF volleyball team captured the team crown at the Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Tournament Saturday on Siesta Key Beach. The Knights finished the event with 265 team points to defeat Miami and Webber International, who tied for second place with 262 team points.  

 

“I can’t convey how proud I am of all twelve of the women that played this weekend,” UCF’s beach volleyball head coach Erik Peterson said. “It was a rough week of practice and every single one of them pushed each other to the limit. It was some of the most competitive games I have seen out here and our finish this weekend is a direct reflection to how hard they trained in practice.”

 

UCF had six beach pairs competing in the 86-pair tournament, with the teams of Tory McCutcheon (Milton, Ont.) and Marie Reiterova (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) and Rachel Vukson (Oakville, Ont.) and Kayla Keller (San Antonio, Texas) tying for fifth place in the Gold Division standings for the Knights’ best finish.

 

Also competing in the Gold Division for the Black and Gold were Kristin Fisher (Clearwater, Fla.) and Katie Clinger, who tied for ninth place, and Evija Vilde (Riga, Latvia) and Meredith Murphy (Austin, Texas) who finished the event tied for 17th place.

 

Dani Harrison (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Nichole Riedel (Denver, Colo.) tied for third place in the Silver Division standings, while Angelica Crump (Atlanta, Ga.) and Kaye-Alese Green (Jacksonville, Fla.) tied for third place in the Copper Division standings.

 

“I think we were really able to go out and execute a lot of what we worked on in practice this week,” Peterson said. “The players did a great job of establishing their offense with hard swings and were then able to mix in shots to score points. We talked a lot about how the wind was going to affect the game play, so we really made good adjustments to our first and second contacts and were able to use the elements to our advantage.”

 

Last season, UCF totaled 186 team points to edge in-state rival USF by 5.5 points to claim the team cup at the Fiesta on Siesta Key Beach Volleyball Tournament.

 

In the fall, the Black and Gold posted its best record since 2003 with a 16-16 overall mark and also tallied a program-best nine wins in Conference USA action and have high expectations for its spring season heading into the 2011 fall campaign. 

 

After three seasons of being the league’s youngest and most inexperienced team in terms of matches started per player, the Knights look to return up to six of their seven starters from last season's team, including Vukson, middle blockers Riedel and McCutcheon, outside hitter Crump, right side hitter Vilde and libero Murphy.

 

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USAV Announces Internatio​nal Developmen​t Qualifiers For 2011 Beach Volleyball

 

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USAV Announces Internatio​nal Developmen​t Qualifiers For 2011 Beach Volleyball

USA Volleyball has announced the schedule for its five 2011 beach volleyball International Development Qualifiers (IDQs).

 

IDQs are tournaments to identify elite beach volleyball athletes for entry into select international events and other USAV High Performance Beach Programs. Teams that finish in the top three at IDQ events will get the opportunity to represent the United States in select NORCECA Beach Circuit and other international events.

"The rapid expansion of the NORCECA tour and its Olympic qualifying impact coupled with the demand for high-level domestic events that meet the needs of developing elite athletes has prompted USAV to enhance the IDQ schedule," said Ali Wood Lamberson, USA Volleyball's director of beach programs.
Changes in 2011include competitions hosted at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., on FIVB regulation courts and the addition of a prize-money purse based on percentage of total entry.
IDQ events are open to all U.S. athletes who are not ranked among the top 20 USAV nationally ranked athletes*.
Four IDQs will take place at the brand new USA Volleyball Beach Center at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. The July IDQ is scheduled to be held at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey, Calif.
The entry fee for each event is $60/athlete and all participants must have a current USAV membership (available online) by March 1.
The Molten NORCECA ball will be used**.
The Main Draw is limited to 36 teams per event in Chula Vista, with a single-elimination qualifier the Friday afternoon preceding, if necessary, deciding the last four Main Draw teams. Teams in the qualifier will be notified Tuesday before the event.
Main Draw competition format will be full match pool play with a single-elimination playoff.
Also new this year, one-third of entry fees will be paid out as prize money to the top four finishers.
All participants must hold a valid U.S. passport and may not be currently registered as a member of another country's volleyball federation.
EVENT DETAILS
Event: International Development Qualifiers (IDQ) Beach Tournament
Women's IDQ Dates: March 19-20, Chula Vista, Calif. ? April 9-10, Chula Vista, Calif. ? July 9-10, Dockweiler, Calif.
Men's IDQ Dates: March 26-27 Chula Vista, Calif. ? April 2-3, Chula Vista, Calif. ? July 9-10, Dockweiler, Calif.
Cost: $60/athlete
Ball: Molten BV5000** (NORCECA ball)
Level: Open to all U.S. beach athletes not nationally ranked 20 or higher. 
Seeding: The new USAV National Ranking will be utilized.*
Format: Two days. Full match play (2 out of 3 to 21, 3rd to 15). Pool play with single elimination playoffs
Registration: Registration is online ONLY and closes the Monday before each event at 11:59 p.m.  Registration for the first two events will open Friday, Feb. 11.
To register, click the link for each event:
IDQ#1 Women: March 19-20, 2011
IDQ#1 Men: March 26-27, 2011
IDQ#2 Women: April 2-3, 2011
IDQ#2 Men: April 9-10, 2011
NORCECA BEACH CIRCUIT:
Teams that earn a bid to a NORCECA event will represent the United States in the Main Draw of the event.  USAV will provide a travel stipend of $200 per player for each event and pay the NORCECA entry fee.  Uniforms will also be provided. Players must organize and purchase their own airfare, hotel, and meals.
Advertised prize money for NORCECA tour events is $10,000/event. (See NORCECA web site  for prize money breakdown and event regulations). NORCECA events take place Thursday-Sunday. Athletes are required to arrive Wednesday evening, attend the award ceremony on Sunday and depart Monday morning.
2011 NORCECA BEACH CIRCUIT SCHEDULE CLICK HERE. Please note that the NORCECA schedule is subject to change.
FIVB EXHIBITIONS AND OTHER EVENTS:
Teams that earn a bid to an FIVB exhibition or other international event will represent the United States in the selected FIVB event, and will be placed in the Main Draw or the Qualifier depending on the structure of the event. There will be no USAV funding for these events. Teams that make the event Main Draw typically have hotel and meals provided by the promoter along with guaranteed prize money. Players must organize and purchase their own airfare as well as hotel and meals during the qualifier. Events will be added as announced.
 
*USAV National Ranking to be announced soon. USAV National Ranking will consist of FIVB, AVP, NORCECA, and other
 
**Ball may change dependent on USAV sponsor status.

Volley America to Bring Extra Benefits to Beach Players

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Volley America to Bring Extra Benefits to Beach Players

A new organization has been formed for beach volleyball players, Volley America. The organization, a compilation of efforts by East End Volleyball and Great American Volleyball, is designed to fill a void in the beach volleyball community. The goal of Volley America is to build an organization that is run by players for players and funnels its resources into benefits for members. There will be a $15 annual membership fee for players.
 
Volley America will benefits for players including:
·         $25,000 Volley America Grand Prix
·         Regional and National Championships for doubles, quads and 6-player teams
·         Ability to win trips (airfare and hotel) to the national championships
·         Discounts for purchasing sponsor products
·         Insurance coverage for promoters allowing more beach volleyball events
 
Currently there are 10 member organizations which will result in a minimum of 8,000 members based on their 2010 memberships. Charter member organizations include:
·         East End Volleyball: RI, CT, NY, NJ, SC & FL http://www.eevb.net/
·         Great American Volleyball: NJ, NM & CA http://greatamericanvolleyball.com/
·         Newport Volleyball Club: RI http://newportvolleyballclub.com/
·         Bradford Beach: Wisconsin http://bradfordbeachjam.com/welcome.html
·         Kong Volleyball: FL http://www.kongvolleyball.com/
·         North Fork Volleyball: NY http://northforkbeachvolleyball.com/
·         Brigantine Beach Volleyball: NJ http://www.eteamz.com/brigvb/
·         Aspire higher Volleyball Super Center: FL http://www.ahvsupercenter.com/
·         Beach Sports: NC http://beach-sports.net/
·         Quandomania: NJ http://quandomania.com/
Additional groups will be added as the summer approaches.
 
Volley America will be sponsored by Spalding King of the beach All Weather Volleyballs, 4C Totally Light 2Go Powdered Drink Stix, Boardee Portable Scoreboards, & Park and Sun Net Systems. Additional sponsors are also being added.
 
Volley America is instituting a National Ranking System that will be used to seed tournaments. The system will be based on the number of teams in a division and 4 levels of play: Open for professional level players, AA for very skilled, A for intermediate and B for novice level players. There will be divisions for male, female and coed doubles plus Junior divisions 18 and under, 16 and under, 14 and under and 12 and under boys and girls.
 
One place where Volley America will be stronger than any previous national beach organization is in the recreational league area. With strong support from league programs at East End Volleyball (2500 players), Bradford Beach (1500 players) and Newport Volleyball Club (500 players), there is already a strong base for a national championship which will be held at Cedar Beach on Long Island, NY on September 17. Over 40 nets for 700 players will make the Volley America League Nationals an event not to be missed. There will be bands, food and drink at the host Bach Hut plus costume contest with $1,000 given away to the best costumes.
 
Additional Doubles Championships will be held on the Jersey Shore in August, California in September and in October in Florida
 
For further information and applications contact East End Volleyball at 631-728-0397 or www.eevb.net
 
 
 

USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge Returns For Third Year Saturday, April 16 in Hermosa Beach, CA

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USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge Returns For Third Year Saturday, April 16 in Hermosa Beach, CA

USAV has announced that it will host the Third Annual Beach Collegiate Challenge at the Hermosa Pier South.
The Collegiate Challenge will have three separate divisions: The Collegiate Division, the Fours Exhibition and the Seniors Division.
The Collegiate Division will be open to current NCAA and NAIA women's volleyball programs and will mimic the NCAA proposed sand volleyball format, while guaranteeing three to four matches per doubles team. Athletes who have exhausted their indoor eligibility but will plan on playing NCAA sand are eligible for this division.
USAV will also offer a Fours Exhibition for schools that have athletes who would like to participate and get some court time, but are not interested in doubles. Entry is $20 per athlete; roster size is limited to six athletes.
The Seniors' Division is open to female athletes who have exhausted their indoor NCAA or NAIA eligibility and will not play NCAA sand. All participants must currently be enrolled in the institution they are representing or have completed their final playing season in Fall 2009 or Fall 2010.
The USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge Seniors' Division champion will earn a spot in CBS Sports Network's 2011 Alt Games Collegiate Beach Championships on May 13-14 in San Diego, Calif., competing for an automatic bid in a future USAV Beach Open event.

 

About USA Volleyball
Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has more than 260,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,000 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $17 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men's and women's senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning at least one medal in every Olympic Games since 1984 and capturing numerous FIVB World Cup, FIVB World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game.

Maccabi USA Seeks Jewish Beach Volleyball Athletes For 2011 European Games

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Maccabi USA Seeks Jewish Beach Volleyball Athletes For 2011 European Games

 

Maccabi USA is seeking Jewish Volleyball Athletes to represent the USA at the European Maccabi Games in Vienna this July 2011.

We would love for you to apply today or at the least help recruit Jewish Volleyball athletes.
 
We are currently accepting applications for Juniors Girls' Indoor Volleyball (girls born 1995-1997), Open Men's & Women's Beach Volleyball and Open Men's Indoor Volleyball.
 
Projected Cost: Juniors/Open - $4800-$5000, Masters - $5500 (Subject To Change)
 
Below you will find:
1. An Application for the Games.
2. A Volleyball Flier for you to send to your Community.
3. A Preliminary Calendar of events for the Games.
4. A link to the Indoor and Beach Volleyball Venue's in Austria.

Indoor Volleyball Venue:
http://www.emg2011.eu/sports/venues/sporthalle-brigittenau
Beach Volleyball Venue:
http://www.emg2011.eu/sports/venues/s-c-hakoah-campus
 
Let us know if you have any further questions and we look forward to seeing your application ASAP.
Thank you!
 
Stephanie Sorkin
Maccabi USA- Building Jewish Pride Through Sports
1926 Arch St., 4R
Philadelphia, PA  19103
215/561-6900 Ext 110
F 215/561-5470
www.maccabiusa.com