MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (May 31, 2017) – The 88th USA Volleyball Open National Championships concluded Wednesday at the Minneapolis Convention Center with the final 11 of 27 division titles handed out.
The USA Volleyball Open National Championships is one of the largest national championship events in the country for any sport. This year’s competition has 464 teams competing with nearly 5,000 athletes.
Men’s BB
Dimes (Gateway) handled #SWAG (New England) 25-20, 25-20 in the Men’s BB Division championship match to claim the gold medal. Dimes ended the tournament 8-0 and was extended to three sets just twice. #SWAG, which took home the silver, beat bronze medalists Orlando Strong 22-25, 25-23, 15-11 in the loser’s bracket finals. Justin Young of Dimes was selected most valuable player of the Men’s BB Division.
Men’s B
Marysville Goodyear (Lakeshore) swept Sorin’ (Hoosier) 25-15, 25-23 to win the Men’s B Division gold medal. Marysville Goodyear went undefeated in eight matches, not losing a single set. Silver medalists Sorin’, which ended the tournament with a 10-2 mark, stopped bronze medalists Club Volleywood (Northern California) 25-21, 25-22 in the loser’s finals. Club Volleywood had defeated Sorin’ in a three-set match in the second round of the playoffs. Marysville Goodyear’s Kanitha Boranprasit was chosen as the Men’s B Division most valuable player.
Men’s 40s
Jim Beam 40s (Southern California), which lost its opening match of the tournament, rallied back to take home the Men’s 40s Division gold after beating Milwaukee’s Best/Thunderball (Badger) 22-25, 25-16, 25-12 in the finals. Jim Beam 40s ended the tournament with a 7-1 record, which also included a 25-18, 25-14 victory over the silver medalists in the winner’s bracket semifinals. Milwaukee’s Best/Thunderball answered its first loss to Jim Beam 40s with a 25-23, 25-23 win over bronze medalist Hustle & Flow 4.0 (Garden Empire) in the loser’s bracket finals. Hustle & Flow 4.0 was the only team to beat Jim Beam 40s. Jim Beam 40s’ Lloy Ball, a four-time U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team selection and 2008 Olympic Games gold medalist, was tabbed most valuable player of the Men’s 40s Division, matching his accomplishment of MVP in the Men’s 45s Division played the first half the USAV Open National Championships.
Men’s 50s
Balboa Bay 50s (Southern California) swept Blaine Labs (Heart of America) 25-xx, 25-18 in the Men’s 50s Division title match. Balboa Bay 50s went 9-0 in the tournament, losing just one set throughout the three-day division championship wave in becoming the gold medalists. Blaine Labs came out of the loser’s bracket to reach the finals. Killer Tomatoes (Sun Country) earned bronze after falling to Blaine Labs 25-16, 25-19 in the loser’s bracket finals. Balboa Bay 50s’ Steve Friedman was named most valuable player of the Men’s 50s Division.
Men’s 60s
Federal Resources (Heart of America) captured the Men’s 60s Division title, but needed the Golden Set to claim the gold. After defeating Tver Volley Club 25-23, 25-20 in the winner’s bracket semifinals, Federal Resources lost in the rematch to Tver Volley Club 25-18, 25-22 in the rematch to force the Golden Set. Federal Resources, which finished 7-1 in the tournament, won the Golden Set 25-21. Tver Volley Club finished the tournament with an 8-1 mark with its only setback at the hands of Federal Resources. Kings Mountain Fog 60 (Northern California) earned the bronze medal as it fell to Tver Volley Club 25-21, 25-23 in the loser’s bracket finals. Federal Resources’ Rod Wilde, a former U.S. Men’s National Team player and coach at the 2000 Olympic Games, was chosen most valuable player of the Men’s 60s Division.
Men’s 70s
Quiksilver Legends 70 (Southern California) swept V&C/Brasil M70+ (Brazil) 25-8, 25-13 in the Men’s 70s Division. Quiksilver Legends 70 ended the tournament 8-1 overall, overcoming its only loss in the second match of the tournament. The champions also defeated V&C/Brasil M70+ 25-7, 25-18 in the winner’s bracket semifinals. The Brazilians finished the tournament 7-3, and all three losses were to Quiksilver Legends 70. Fog 70s earned the bronze medal in the tournament as it fell to V&C/Brasil M70+ in the loser’s bracket finals. Paul Mitchell of Quiksilver Legends 70 was selected the most valuable player of the Men’s 70s Division.
Men’s 76s
MAC Magic 76 (Chesapeake) earned the Men’s 76s Division crown after winning a Golden Set against Outback Steakhouse 76 (Puget Sound). In the finals match, Outback Steakhouse 76 rallied to defeat MAC Magic 76 22-25, 25-17, 15-13 after coming through the loser’s bracket to force the winner-take-all Golden Set. However, MAC Magic 76 answered with a 25-18 victory to claim the title. MAC Magic 76, which was 7-1 in the tournament, had won the winner’s bracket semifinals over Outback Steakhouse 76 25-21, 25-17. Outback Steakhouse, 7-2 in the tournament with both losses to MAC Magic 76, defeated bronze medalist Rustys 76 (Columbia Empire) in the loser’s bracket final. MAC Magic 76’s Mickey Maguire was selected the most valuable player of the Men’s 76s Division.
Women’s BB
Highlighters 34-1 (Badger) topped Thunder Chicks! (New England) 25-20, 25-22 in the Women’s BB Division title match to take the gold medal. Highlighters 34-1 went 8-0 in the tournament with three matches extended to three sets including a 24-26, 25-23, 15-5 win over bronze medalist Set to Kill (Great Lakes) in the winner’s bracket semifinals. Thunder Chicks! Edged Set to Kill 17-25, 25-21, 15-11 in the loser’s bracket finals to advance to the title match. Katelyn Vara of Highlighters 34-1 was chosen most valuable player of the Women’s BB Division.
Women’s B
Ice Cold Killas (Iowa) came back through the loser’s bracket to win the Women’s B Division following a 25-18, 25-21 win over silver medalists Sets in the City (New England) in the final match to force a winner-take-all set. In the Golden Set, Ice Cold Killas continued its momentum with a 25-16 victory to get the gold. Ice Cold Killas had won six straight matches to open the tournament, but then lost to start the second round of the playoffs and putting them behind the eight-ball in hopes of winning the gold. They came back with five straight wins without dropping a set, including a sweep of bronze medalists Boom (Iowa) in the loser’s bracket finals. Ice Cold Killas’ Molly Steffens was named the Women’s B Division most valuable player.
Women’s 55s
Brasil Sul (Brazil) won the Women’s 55s Division after sweeping Fog Canada Masters 55s (Canada) 25-27, 25-13 in the gold-medal match. Brasil Sul, which went 7-0 in the tournament advanced to the finals by defeating the silver medalists 25-9, 25-18 in the winner’s bracket semifinals. Fog Canada Masters 55s finished the tournament with a 6-3 record, and all three losses were to the champions. Care for All Ages (Badger Region) earned the bronze medal after losing to Fog Canada Masters 55s in the loser’s bracket finals. Brasil Sul’s Denise Oliveira was selected most valuable player of the Women’s 55s Division.
Women’s 65s
In the first championship of the day, UAI Brasil (Brazil) defeated Classy Ladies (Rocky Mountain) 25-20, 24-26, 15-13 in the Women’s 65s Division gold-medal match. In the semifinal round, UAI Brasil rallied to defeat Classy Ladies 15-25, 25-17, 15-7.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Open National Championships.
Medal Winner Recap
Men’s Open: Gold – SoCal Avalanche (Southern California); Silver – Team Pineapple (Hoosier); Bronze – Volleyball Academy America (Northern California)
Men’s AA: Gold – Legion (Southern California); Silver – Southside Bangers (Great Lakes); Bronze – Luau Chicago (Great Lakes)
Men’s A: Gold – Team Core (Badger); Silver – Team Bear Claw (Iowa); Bronze – NFVB Crank Blasters (Western Empire)
Men’s BB: Gold – Dimes (Gateway); Silver – #SWAG (New England); Bronze – Orlando Strong (Florida)
Men’s B: Gold – Marysville Goodyear (Lakeshore); Silver – Sorin’ (Hoosier); Bronze – Club Volleywood (Northern California)
Men’s 40s: Gold – Jim Beam 40s (Southern California); Silver – Milwaukee’s Best/Thunderball (Badger); Bronze – Hustle & Flow 4.0 (Garden Empire)
Men’s 45s: Gold – Balboa Bay 45 (Southern California); Silver – Fog Canada 45 Men (Canada); Bronze – Pro Combat/Botafogo (Brazil)
Men’s 50s: Gold – Balboa Bay 50s (Southern California); Silver – Blaine Labs (Heart of America); Bronze – Killer Tomatoes (Sun Country)
Men’s 55s: Gold – Kings Mountain Fog 55 (Northern California); Silver – Western States Laguna (Southern California); Bronze – Fog Canada 55s (Canada)
Men’s 60s: Gold – Federal Resources (Heart of America); Silver – Tver Volley Club (Russia); Bronze – Kings Mountain Fog 60 (North Country)
Men’s 65s: Gold – Sao Paulo Masters 65M (Brazil); Silver – Kings Mountain Fog 65 (Northern California); Bronze – Quiksilver Legends 65 (Southern California)
Men’s 70s: Gold – Quiksilver Legends (Southern California); Silver – V&C/Brasil M70+ (Brazil); Bronze – Fog 70s (Canada)
Men’s 73s: Gold – Rustys 73 (Columbia Empire); Silver – Outback Steakhouse 73 (Puget Sound); Bronze – TeamSota (North Country)
Men’s 76s: Gold – MAC Magic 76 (Chesapeake); Silver – Outback Steakhouse 76 (Puget Sound); Bronze – Rustys 76 (Columbia Empire)
Men’s 78s: Gold – MAC Magic 78 (Chesapeake); Silver – Highlanders 79 (Rocky Mountain); Bronze – Rusty 78 (Columbia Empire)
Women’s Open: Gold – Hoosier Exterminators (Hoosier); Silver – Team Iowa Ice (Iowa); Bronze – Team GEVA (Garden Empire)
Women’s AA: Gold – CU ‘Olden Bears (North Country); Silver – Blue Ballers (North Texas); Bronze – Angry Beavers (Rocky Mountain)
Women’s A: Gold – Team Bison (North Country), Silver – Spank (Badger), Bronze – Foxy Ladies (Gateway)
Women’s BB: Gold – Highlighters 34-1 (Badger); Silver – Thunder Chicks! (New England); Bronze – Set to Kill (Great Lakes)
Women’s B: Gold – Ice Cold Killas (Iowa); Silver – Sets in the City (New England); Bronze – Boom (Iowa)
Women’s 40s: Gold – Fog Canada Masters 40 (Canada); Silver – Winnipeg Fog (Canada); Bronze – San Diego Beaches (Southern California)
Women’s 50s: Gold – Panama Jack San Diego (Southern California); Silver – Fog Canada Masters 50 (Canada); Bronze – B.A.D. (Northern California)
Women’s 55s: Gold – Brasil Sul (Brazil); Silver – Fog Canada Masters 55s (Canada); Bronze – Care for All Ages (Badger)
Women’s 60s: Gold – Brasil Mix-60 (Brazil); Silver – WWConnect-60 (Rocky Mountain); Bronze – BLT (Northern California)
Women’s 65s: Gold – UAI Basil 65 (Brazil); Silver – Classy Ladies (Rocky Mountain)
Sitting Division: Gold – The Eh Team (Canada); Silver – Florida All-Stars (Florida); Bronze – Nebraska High Rollers (Great Plains)