International flavor on American collegiate Beach Volleyball scene

Since the start of “organized” Beach Volleyball competition in 2012 at colleges and universities in the United States, the popularity of sport continues to explode with the NCAA approving the activity as the 90th full-fledged championship sport to begin this May 6-8 in Gulf Shores, Ala.

With the “explosion” of Beach Volleyball on the American collegiate scene, the sport has an “international” flavor with 87 players from 25 countries on the 2015-2016 rosters of college and universities led by competitors Canada (16 players), Brazil (11), Germany (9) and Serbia (8).

PERCENTAGE

“The fact that 9% of the women playing college Beach Volleyball are foreign-born speaks to the uniqueness of this opportunity,” said American Volleyball Coaches Association Executive Director, Kathy DeBoer, who played an instrumental part in the development of the sport at American colleges and universities.  “Nowhere else in the world can you get a college degree while also pursuing excellence as a Beach Volleyball player.”

In coordination with USA Volleyball, the AVP and CBS Sports Network, AVCA started staging exhibition championships in 2006 with the first “Sand Volleyball” National Collegiate Championship being held in 2012.  Due to the AVCA and USA Volleyball’s involvement, the NCAA membership voted last October that Beach Volleyball would be its 90th full-fledged championship sport.  A total of 60 four-year colleges and universities in the United States are sponsoring Beach Volleyball teams during the 2015-2016 academic year along with 25 two-year schools.

EVOLUTION

“The entire Beach Volleyball world has been watching the evolution of NCAA sand volleyball with great anticipation and excitement,” said Lori Okimura, chair of the USA Volleyball Board of Directors.  “An entire nation of girls’ volleyball players and coaches are turning to sand volleyball, inspired by the achievements of USA Volleyball Beach National Team athletes like three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings (Stanford University) and silver medalists April Ross and Jennifer Kessy (both from the University of Southern California), all of whom were successful NCAA student-athletes in volleyball before pursuing their professional beach careers.

Add Canada’s Sarah Pavan (University of Nebraska), France’s Alexandra Jupiter (USC) and Mexico’s Bibiana Candelas (USC) to that list as the development of collegiate Beach Volleyball in the United States has made remarkable strides.  Prior to the start the AVCA championships in 2012, the exhibition tournaments were won by Pavan (2007 with Jordan Larson) and Candelas (2006 with Paula Gentil) at events in San Diego and Reno, Nev., respectively.

COACHING

Two-time American Olympian Todd Rogers, who captured the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with Phil Dalhausser, is in his first season as the head coach of Cal Poly.  Known as the “professor”, Rogers said in February when he was hired at the San Luis Obispo school that he was really happy to be a part of Cal Poly Athletics and a volleyball program that’s on the upswing.  I’m looking forward to challenging for a national title in a few years and what we’re able to build from day one.”

Other Olympic Beach Volleyball gold medal winners serving as volunteer assistants this season are American Dane Blanton (Sydney 2000 win Eric Fonoimoana) at No. 1-ranked USC and Brazilian Jackie Silva (Atlanta 1996 with Sandra Pires) at No. 10-ranked Florida International.  Three-time American indoor Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park is an assistant coach at No. 7-ranked Arizona.

“I’ve been struck by the ‘Who’s Who’ that has been at the AVCA National Championships the last few years in coaching role,” said DeBoer, who has headed the collegiate group since 2006.  “It’s pretty cool to see Olympic gold medal winners Dain and Jackie warming up college beach players!”

Misty May-Treanor, who captured three Olympic gold medals with Walsh Jennings in Athens, Beijing and London, is a familiar figure around the collegiate Beach Volleyball scene in southern California.  She has served as a volunteer coach at both Long Beach State (2012) and USC (2013).

IDENTICAL BRUINS

Headlining the “international invasion” on college and university campuses this spring are identical Canadian twins Nicole and Megan McNamara of Vancouver, British Columbia.  Entering this week’s event, the McNamaras have played every match for the No. 4-ranked UCLA Bruins, who are coached by American Beach Volleyball Olympian Stein Metzger.

A week after the NCAA Championships in Alabama where the Canadian twins are expected to participate, the McNamaras will travel to Europe to compete for Canada in the FIVB under-21 World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland.  The McNamaras won the silver medal at the Nanjing 2014 Olympic Games in China after placing third at the 2014 FIVB under-19 World Championships in Porto, Portugal.

OTHER TOP UNDER-21 PAIRS

Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa and Ana Patricia Silva of Brazil, who posted a 2-1 (17-21, 21-13, 16-14) Nanjing gold medal win in 42 minutes over the McNamaras, will be the favored team in Lucerne at the FIVB under-21 finale where the top American team will be Sarah Sponcil and Torrey Van Winden.

Sponcil, who is on the Beach Volleyball roster at Loyola Marymount where she is coached by FIVB World Tour participate John Mayer, and …

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