Beach Collegiate Challenge Returning for Third Year

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 2, 2011) – The USA Volleyball (USAV) Beach Collegiate Challenge will return for a third straight year on Saturday, April 16 in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

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.

There is no maximum or minimum number of pairs per school. Teams will be seeded according to NCAA rank and results of the 2010 USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge. Entry is $20 per athlete.

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 a pipeline program for athletes hoping to start their pro careers.

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.

Teams must be comprised of athletes who attend the same college or university; but they do not have to have played on that university’s indoor team.

This will be a separate entry and competition from the Collegiate Division, and teams can enter regardless of their institution’s participation in the Collegiate Division. Entry is $20 per athlete.

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.

To register an institution for the Collegiate Division or the Fours Exhibition, click here. Registration deadline for the Collegiate Division is Monday, March 28, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Rosters are due Wednesday, April 13.

To register an individual for the Seniors’ Division, click here. Registration deadline for the Seniors’ Division is Monday, April 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Both athletes must register individually.

A USAV High Performance Beach Tryout open to all athletes ages 12-25 will be held the following day, Sunday, April 17. This is an official USA Volleyball National Team tryout. Collegiate players are eligible to participate during the school year and collegiate institutions may provide actual and necessary expenses related to participation in one tryout. For more information and the full USAV Beach High Performance Tryout schedule click here:  Tryout Information

Tags: Beach, Beach Collegiate Challenge, Beach Volleyball