Babcock, Gray Win Second Women's IDQ

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 3, 2011) – The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team of Kathryn Babcock (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and Erin Gray (Orland Park, Ill.) won the second 2011 USA Volleyball women’s international development qualifier (IDQ) on Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

Babcock and Gray defeated Jennifer Snyder (Glendale, Ariz.) and Heather Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.) in the final, 21-13, 21-15.

Thirteen teams entered the second IDQ to compete for prize money, USAV Beach National Ranking points and bids to upcoming NORCECA Beach Circuit events.

 “We were so happy last week when Stevo (VanderWerp) won the men’s (IDQ),” Babcock said.  “It told me that young player from the Midwest can have success in this sport. I am so thrilled to get the chance to represent my country.”

After going undefeated in pool play on Saturday, Babcock and Gray had to win two more matches to make it to Sunday’s championship match. In the quarterfinals they topped Kim DiCello (San Diego, Calif.) and Meri-de Boyer (Poway, Calif.), 21-15, 19-21, 15-12. In the semifinals, they beat Abra Amwake (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Heather Evans (Warroad, Minn.), 21-11, 21-14.

Kelly Schumacher (Miami Beach, Fla.) and Angela McHenry Bryan (Covina, Calif.) placed third, defeating Amwake and Evans in the third-place match, 21-23, 21-19, 15-11.

Third place was a breakthrough for Schumacher, a former pro basketball player with the WNBA, and Bryan, who upset top-seeded Jenny Kropp (Grand Island, Neb.) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.) in the quarterfinals, 24-22, 13-21, 16-14.

“We’ve lost to them three times already this year at the IDQs,” Schumacher said. “They are a great team. Beating them today made me believe that Angela and I have something special together as a team, something I have not found yet with other partners.”

Ali Wood Lamberson, USA Volleyball director of beach programs, was very happy with the event.

“It’s great to see some new faces in the final four,” Lamberson said. Schumacher and Bryan were impressive.  At 6-feet, 5-inches, Schumacher is still a bit raw, but is improving at a tremendous pace and is a dominating blocker.

“Heather Hughes continues to impress.  We are looking for great things from her at the international level in the years to come.”

To view complete results, click here.

The second men’s IDQ of 2011 is scheduled for April 9-10 in Chula Vista. The deadline to register is April 4 at midnight PT. To register, click here.

U.S. beach teams traveling to this week’s (April 8-10) NORCECA Beach Circuit event in Guatemala are:

Women
Team 1: Jenny Kropp (Grand Island, Neb.)/Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
Team 2: Jennifer Snyder (Glendale, Ariz.)/Erin Gray (Orland Park, Ill.)

Men
Team 1: Mike Bruning (Tucson, Ariz.)/Jason Wight (West Springfield, Va.)
Team 2: Stevo VanderWerp (Grand Haven, Mich.)/Matt McKinney (Santa Ynez, Calif.)

Tags: Ali Wood Lamberson, Beach, Beach Volleyball, International Development Qualifiers