Beach Update: Maldives Challenge on Tap This Weekend

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 12, 2022) – Twelve U.S. beach pairs (four men, eight women) are in the Maldives this week for an FIVB Beach Pro Tour Challenge event.

Two women’s pairs begin play Friday in the main draw: Corinne Quiggle/Sarah Schermerhorn and Emily Stockman/Megan Kraft. The remaining six begin qualifying play on Thursday:

• Jessica Gaffney/Savvy Simo
• Hailey Harward/Xolani Hodel
• Megan Gebhard/Jade Race
• Violetta Slabakova/Katie Horton
• Deahna Kraft/Allie Wheeler
• Zana Muno/Julia Scoles

Stockman/Kraft are the top-ranked U.S. pair in the event, currently at No. 38 in the FIVB world rankings. Six women are making their Beach Pro Tour debut: Gebhard, Harward, Hodel, Slabakova, D. Kraft and Scoles. According to the FIVB, three of the teams (Scoles/Muno, D. Kraft/Wheeler and Harward/Hodel) include at least one player who won an AVP tournament this season. Meanwhile, Simo, Gebhard, Harward, Hodel, Horton, Slabakova, D. Kraft, Scoles and M. Kraft are all in their first season of international play.

Scoles and Harward paired up earlier this season to win gold at the FISU World University Championship, but they are playing with different partners in the Maldives.

On the men’s side, Troy Field/Chase Budinger are the only U.S. team directly in the main draw. Last year, they finished ninth at FIVB Itapema and won the silver at FIVB Rubavu.

Three pairs: Adam Roberts/Cody Caldwell, Miles Partain/Andy Benesh and Logan Webber/Evan Cory are in the qualification round.

Roberts/Caldwell have played in six Beach Pro Tour tournaments together, but this will be the international debut for Partain/Benesh. Webber/Cory have partnered on the AVP tour, and this is their first appearance together on the Beach Pro Tour.

Brewster/Friend Win Second NORCECA Gold

Last weekend at NORCECA Managua, U.S. pairs came away with two gold medals, including the second straight for Tim Brewster and Kyle Friend. Americans Paul Lotman and Raffe Paulis were fourth.

On the women’s side, Katie Lindstrom and Teegan Van Gunst also won gold.