Angie Akers

• Home:  Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Birth Year:  1976

PERSONAL: Born Angela Marie Harris on June 30, 1976 in Fort Wayne, Ind. Parents are Kevin and Carole Harris. Angie is the second of four children… Angie attended Bishop Luers High School where she played both volleyball and basketball. Although she had scholarship offers for both sports, she decided to pursue volleyball at the University of Notre Dame… Angie helped the Irish reach as high as sixth place in the national rankings, the highest the program had ever achieved. She was named All-Freshman All-American Team, All-District, and All-Conference… She received her BA in sociology in 1997… Angie also met her future husband, All-American offensive lineman Jeremy Akers, while at Notre Dame. The couple married immediately after Angie graduated… Angie played professionally in Saignelegier, Switzerland. After three months, she returned to the United States, quit volleyball and took up running. She moved to San Francisco, where she began working at Lehman Brothers as a Series 7 licensed General Securities Representative… In 2001, Angie finished the Boston Marathon in a personal best, 3 hours and 24 minutes… College roommate Jamie Lee convinced Angie to move to Southern California to try beach volleyball… Angie was named 2002 AVP Rookie of the Year…  In 2007, Akers organized a trip for four AVP players (herself and Hans Stolfus, Ty Loomis, and Jenn Snyder) to visit U.S. Army troops in Kosovo. The following year she went again with Jeff Nygaard, Ty Loomis and Brooke Hanson, traveling to Italy, Germany, and Kosovo… Angie paired with current partner Tyra Turner at the beginning of 2009.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011- Angie Akers teamed with Nicole Branagh for the first time internationally, and the first time since 2005, placing ninth in the FIVB season opener... 2010 - Angie and partner Tyra Turner played in 13 FIVB World Tour events in 2010. Their best finishes were second in Seoul, Korea (5/25-30) and third in The Hague, Netherlands (8/24-29). They also finished fifth in Shanghai, China (5/4-9) and at the Grand Slam event in Moscow (6/7-13). They finished the season winning $55,700. 2009 – Angie and Tyra Turner played in 11 FIVB events. They reached the podium twice, finishing third in Sanya, China (10/27-11/1) and second in Phuket, Thailand (11/3-8)… The team tied for fifth at the FIVB World Championship in Stavanger, Norway (June 25-July 4). The team earned $64,450 and finished the season ranked ninth… Angie was named the FIVB’s top rookie. Prior to 2009, Angie had competed in five FIVB events (2003, ’04, ’07 [2], and ’08) but had never made it out of the qualifying rounds. 2007 – Angie and partner Brooke Hanson finished tied for fifth at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

DOMESTIC HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 - Angie and Tyra played in seven AVP events before it ceased operations in August. Their best finish was second at the first event in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (4/16-18). They finished third in the final five events of the season. Their total AVP winnings were 32,250. 2009 – Angie and Tyra Turner played in 11 AVP events. Their best finish was third, which they achieved three times (Panama City, Fla.; Riverside, Calif.; Hermosa Beach, Calif.)… Angie also played in the King of the Beach event in Las Vegas and finished 12th… Angie and Tyra won $37,720 and finished the season ranked 18th… Angie also competed in three AVP Hot Winter Nights events, finishing with one first, one second and one third. 2008 – Angie and partner Holly McPeak competed in 17 AVP events. Their best finished was third, which they achieved three times (Atlanta, Ga.; Long Beach, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.)… Angie also competed in the King of the Beach event in Glendale, Ariz., and finished 12th… Angie and Holly won $59,000 and finished the season ranked 11th… Angie also competed in three AVP Hot Winter Nights events, and finished second twice. 2007 – Angie and partner Brooke Hanson competed in 15 AVP events. They had one second-place finish (Chicago, Ill.) and one third (Mason, Ohio)… Angie also competed in the King of the Beach event in Las Vegas and finished 10th… Angie’s team won $45,125 and finished the season ranked 18th. 2006 – Angie played in 14 AVP events with three different partners. She played in the first event of the season in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with Brittany Hochevar where the pair finished 13th… She played in 10 events with Heather Lowe. Their best finish was ninth, which they achieved twice… She played the final three events with Brooke Hanson. Their best finish was ninth… Angie’s teams won a total of $11,725 and she finished the season ranked 26th. 2005 – Angie played in 12 AVP events with two different partners. She played the first three events with Jenny Pavley. They finished seventh in all three… She played the next nine with Nicole Branagh. Their best finish was fifth, which they achieved once… Angie’s teams won $19,313 and finished the season ranked 14th. 2004 – Angie played in 12 AVP events with two different partners… She played the first three events with Sarah Straton. Their best finish was ninth, which they achieved twice… She played eight events with Rachel Wacholder (now Rachel Scott). Their best finish was third at Huntington Beach, Calif. Angie also played in the King of the Beach tournament in Honolulu and finished 10th… Her teams won $19,450 for the season and she was ranked 13th. 2003 – Angie and Sarah Straton competed in nine AVP events. Their best finish was fifth, which they achieved twice (Tempe, Ariz., and Las Vegas). The team won $10,250 and finished the season ranked 17th. 2002 – Angie played in seven AVP events. Her first was with Ashley Bowles where she finished 37th in Huntington Beach, Calif. ... She played the rest of the season with Jenny Pavley. Their best finish was fifth, which they achieved three times (Santa Barbara, Calif., Belmar, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev.)… They won $7,095 and finished the season ranked 20th.

PARTNERS: 2010 - Tyra Turner. 2009 – Tyra Turner. 2008 – Holly McPeak. 2007 – Brooke Hanson. 2006 – Brooke Hanson, Heather Lowe, Brittany Hochevar. 2005 – Nicole Branagh, Jenny Pavley. 2004 – Rachel Wacholder (now Scott), Sarah Straton. 2003 – Sarah Straton. 2002 – Jenny Pavley, Ashley Bowles.

HONORS: 2009 – FIVB Rookie of the Year. 2002 – AVP Rookie of the Year.

Updated Nov. 22, 2010