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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 28, 2023) – The beach update is back for the first time in 2024. This edition previews the first stops on the FIVB Beach Pro Tour season with both a Futures and Elite 16 event in the next two weeks. We also recap the results of NORCECA Playoff No. 1 in Manhattan Beach and review the Olympic rankings.
Doha Elite 16
While it’s not the first BPT event of the 2024 season, all eyes will be on Doha, Qatar on March 5-9 for the Elite 16 tournament. The five top U.S. pairs in the provisional Olympic rankings are set to compete.
Defending world champions Kelly Cheng/Sara Hugues join defending BPT Finals Champions Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss to represent the U.S. women.
The men’s bracket has Trevor Crabb/Theo Brunner, Miles Evans/Chase Budinger, and Tri Bourne/Chaim Schalk representing the U.S. The three pairs are vying to finish in the top 17 of the Olympic rankings and be one of the top two U.S. pairs.
The U.S. did not place a pair on the podium at the 2023 Doha Elite 16.
Futures Mollymook
Prior to Doha, the BPT officially kicks off with Futures Mollymook in on Feb. 28-March 3 in Australia.
Six women’s teams and three men’s teams are competing for the U.S.
For the U.S. women, Anna Donlan/Kelsey Bradburry, Avery Poppinga/Madison Shields, Delaney Peranich/Charlie Ekstrom, Adrienne Gibb/Victoria Shephard, Alaina Chacon/Mariah Whalen, and Tiffany Creamer/Katie Lindstrom will compete.
The U.S. men are represented by Jordan Hoppe/James Shaw, Charlie Siragusa/Derek Bradford, and Ben Vaught/Kevin Coyle.
NORCECA Playoff No. 1
USA Volleyball held its first NORCECA playoff of the new year last week in Manhattan Beach, Calif. U.S. pairs competed for the right to represent the U.S. at upcoming NORCECA competitions.
Women’s pairs included Deahna Kraft/Toni Rodriguez, Paloma Bowman/Samantha Parrish, Avery Poppinga/Madison Shields, Savvy Simo/Abby Van Winkle, Emily Day/Geena Urango, Tiffany Creamer/Katie Lindstrom, Delaney Peranich/Charlie Ekstrom, and Kylie Deberg/Hailey Harward.
Kraft/Rodriguez and Simo/Van Winkle met in the semifinals, where Simo/Van Winkle won 2-0. Deberg/Harward faced Creamer/Lindstrom in the other semi, where Deberg and Harward advanced on a 2-0 win. In the final, Deberg/Harward defeated Simo/Van Winkle 2-0. Creamer/Lindstrom took third place.
Men’s competing teams included Tim Brewster/Kyle Friend, Evan Cory/Wyatt Harrison, Cody Caldwell/Avery Drost, Logan Webber/Hagen Smith, Caleb Kwekel/Jake Urrutia, Chase Frishman/David Wieczorek, Lev Priima/Charlie Siragusa, and Alex Diaz/Brandon Joyner
Caldwell/Drost faced Cory/Harrison in the semifinals where Cory/Harrison advanced with a 2-0 win. Brewster/Friend defeated Smith/Webber 2-1 in their semifinal. In the final, Brewster/Friend defeated Cory/Harrison 2-1. Caldwell/Drost took third place.
The first NORCECA event on the 2024 calendar is in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, April 4-8.
Dalhausser and Crabb Earn Gold
On Feb. 11, the American duo of Taylor Crabb/Phil Dalhausser took gold at the third stop on the 2024 GJ Gardner Homes NZ Beach Tour. The pair won in Christchurch, New Zealand, out of the No. 3 seed without losing a set across four matches. In the final, Dalhausser/Crabb defeated Thomas Hartles/Ben O’Dea (NZL).
Dalhausser is a four-time Olympian and gold medalist in the 2008 Beijing Games. Crabb is a two-time AVP MVP (2018-2019) and a 13-time AVP champion.
Rankings
The world and provisional Olympic rankings have several U.S. pairs in the top-20 with not a lot of separation.
Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are No. 2 in the provisional Olympic rankings, behind only Ana Patricia/Duda (BRA). Nuss/Kloth have 10,260 points in 13 tournaments played. In the FIVB World Rankings, the duo are also No. 2 with 10 tournaments played and 8,140 points.
Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes are No. 4 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 9,040 points in 12 tournaments played. Hughes/Cheng have the W designation for a quota place obtained for winning the 2023 Beach World Championships. In FIVB World Rankings, they are No. 3 with nine tournaments played and 7,680 points.
Julia Scoles and Betsi Flint are tied for No. 9 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 6,740 points in 11 tournaments played. They are No. 13 in the FIVB World Rankings with 11 tournaments played and 5,360 points.
In the men’s provisional Olympic rankings, Miles Partain and Andy Benesh share the No. 4 spot with Evandro/Arthur (BRA). Partain/Benesh have 7,620 points on 10 tournaments played. In the FIVB World Rankings, Partain/Benesh have 7,020 points on 10 tournament played and are tied for No. 3 with Perusic/Schweiner (CZE).
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner are currently No. 11 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 6,920 points and 12 tournaments played. Just behind them, Miles Evans and Chase Budinger are No. 12 with 6,480 points in 13 tournaments played. In the FIVB World Rankings, Crabb/Brunner are No. 15 with 5,400 points and 12 tournaments played. Budinger/Evans are No. 20 with 5,040 and 13 tournaments played.
Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk are in a four-way tie for No. 15 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 6,080 points in 14 tournaments played. In the FIVB World Rankings, they are No. 23 with 4,760 points on 14 tournaments played.
Current World Rankings – Women
In the final beach update of 2023, we take a look at the results of the two most recent NORCECA tournaments, both of which took place in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. The U23 Continental Tour and the Beach Finals closed out the competition schedule until the new year, so we will look one more time at the rankings. The U.S. also did well at the King and Queen of the Court series.
As the 2023 beach volleyball competition season winds down, we crown a new Beach Pro Tour Champion at the conclusion of the BPT Finals over the weekend. Plus, the U.S. is coming home with two medals from NORCECA San Salvador after positive showings from all four competing teams. We also preview two more NORCECA competitions that are set to conclude this year’s events.
Get set for a big week across the beach volleyball landscape in this latest beach update. We preview the 2023 BPT Finals in Doha featuring the top ranked U.S. teams. NORCECA San Salvador also begins this week with U.S. pairs competing and we recap the results from Challenge Nuvali last week.
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