Fifty Beach Teams Compete at IDQ

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 18, 2009) – Fifty beach volleyball teams – 27 women’s and 23 men’s – participated in USA Volleyball’s first International Development Qualifier (IDQ) on March 15 in Long Beach, Calif.

The IDQ was the first of two that USAV is holding to identify elite beach athletes for entry into select international events – both FIVB and NORCECA – and other USAV high performance beach programs.

To qualify, teams competed in a pool play tournament with three teams advancing from each pool into a single elimination playoff.

“This IDQ was the first of many new programs slated for 2009 as we take a more proactive approach to athlete development,” said Ali Wood Lamberson, USAV director of beach programs. “We are creating a fair and open system to qualify for international events that are in line with USAV’s pipeline plan.”

The winners of the March 15 men’s tournament were Ty Loomis (Corona del Mar, Calif.) and Casey Patterson (Huntington Beach, Calif.). The winners of the women’s tournament were Emily Day (Torrance, Calif.) and Claire D'Amore (Redondo Beach, Calif.).

The other qualifying teams on the men’s side were Adam Jewell (Redondo Beach)/ Mark Paaluhi (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Michael Bruning       (San Diego)/Jason Wight (San Diego) and Mike Morrison (Solana Beach, Calif.)/Matt Prosser (Long Beach).

The other qualifying teams on the women’s side were Beth Van Fleet (San Diego)/Saralyn Smith (Huntington Beach), Jenelle Koester (Beason, Ill.)/Angela Knopf (Los Angeles) and Olivia Waldowski (Costa Mesa, Calif.)/Angela McHenry (San Diego).

The next IDQ is scheduled for June 27-28 in Long Beach. More information is available at http://volleyball.usoc.org/event/event/1351.

Complete results are available at http://assets.teamusa.org/assets/documents/attached_file/filename/9739/3_14_09_IDQResults.pdf.

Photos from the March 15 IDQ can be viewed at http://missionbeachvolleyball.smugmug.com/gallery/7614348_QGLQt#492421817_hDGLG.