Beach Update: U.S. Looks to Add More Medals in Final 2024 BPT Events

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 21, 2024) – In this week’s beach update, we recap how the U.S. came away with two medals from BPT Challenge Haikou after starting in the qualification rounds. Plus, we look ahead to BPT Challenge Chennai this week in India, with only two weeks to go until the last Beach Pro Tour events of the year.

BPT Challenge Haikou

Evan Cory and Cody Caldwell earned gold and Toni Rodriguez and Molly Shaw earned silver for the U.S. at BPT Challenge Haikou, China.

Cory/Caldwell defeated Paris 2024 Olympians Thomas Hodges and Zachary Schubert (AUS) 2-0 (23-21, 23-21) in the gold medal match.

The U.S. men had a difficult route to the final, first needing to win two rounds of qualification to get into the main draw. They were pushed to three sets on four separate occasions throughout the tournament.

BPT Challenge Haikou featured a Round of 18, a Round of 12 and a Round of Six before the semifinal round in the men’s bracket. Cory/Caldwell defeated Gianluca Dal Corso and Marco Viscovich (ITA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-14) to reach the gold medal match.

Just like the men, Rodriguez and Shaw had to first withstand two rounds of qualification, but were pushed to three sets only once in the second round.

Rodriguez/Shaw defeated Paris 2024 Olympians Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard (FRA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-18) in the semis to reach the gold medal match. In the final, the U.S. women fell to Xue/J.J. Zeng (CHN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).

Full tournament results

BPT Challenge Chennai

This week, U.S. pairs are in India to compete at BPT Challenge Chennai, Nov. 21-24.

U.S. women competing are Rodriguez/Shaw, Alaina Chacon and Molly Phillips, Savvy Simo and Abby Van Winkle, Hailey Harward and Kylie Deberg, and Maddie Anderson and Brook Bauer.

Representing for the men will be Cory/Caldwell, Theo Brunner and Taylor Crabb, Zephyr Dew and Derek Bradford, Chaim Schalk and James Shaw, Jordan Hoppe and Avery Drost, Charlie Siragusa and John Schwengel, Tim Brewster and Wyatt Harrison, Ben Vaught and Nate Pugh, Mark Bucknam and Ryan Ierna, and Marin Lorenz and Adam Roberts.

After splitting from partner Trevor Crabb at the conclusion of the AVP League Final, Theo Brunner has partnered with Trevor’s brother Taylor for this challenge event and the following challenge event in Nuvali, Philippines next week.

It has been more than a year since Taylor, 32, last competed internationally in an FIVB tournament (2023 Challenge Chiang Mai with Taylor Sander). Brunner, 39, previously mentioned on the USA Volleyball Show podcast that he planned to spend the latter part of his career helping out younger partners before he considers retirement.

Futures Pompano Beach

We are less than two weeks away from BPT Futures Pompano Beach, the first Beach Pro Tour event to ever be held in the U.S. Twenty-three emerging U.S. beach teams are scheduled to compete at the event on Dec. 5-8 in Pompano Beach, Fla.

The event is part of the weekend’s Beach Volleyball Festival, hosted by the Florida Region of USA Volleyball and USA Volleyball. The festival will also include a Pan American Zone Beach ParaVolley event and a Beach National Qualifier for 10U-18U junior players.

The festival is free and open to the public. Visit our webpage for more.