Nineteen Players Comprise Beach Collegiate National Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 3, 2023) – Nine women and 10 men have been selected for the 2023 USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate National Team, part of the National Team Development Program (NTDP).

The teams will train June 11-17 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California.

The nine women on the team are Peri Brennan (UCLA), Alli Hansen (Grand Canyon), Xolani Hodel (Stanford), Paige Kalkhoff (Florida State), Chloe Loreen (Washington), Delaynie Maple (Southern California), Nicole Nourse (Southern California), Audrey Nourse (Southern California) and Ashley Vincent (Stanford).

Several of the women’s players have competed internationally.

Maple won the 2021 U19 Beach World Championship in Phuket, Thailand. Hodel placed fourth at that event and competed at the 2022 World University Championships. Sisters Nicole and Audrey Nourse have also competed on the FIVB World Tour.

The women’s team will train with co-head coaches Angie Akers and April Ross.

Akers coached Ross and partner Alix Klineman to the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo. She is currently an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount.

Ross competed in three Olympics (2012, ’16 and ’20) and has gold, silver and bronze medals.

The 10 men on the team are Ben Braun (Ohio State), Kupono Browne (BYU), Nato Dickinson (Long Beach State), Matthew Edwards (UCLA), Jackson Hickman (Grand Canyon), Heath Hughes (BYU), Thomas Hurst, Kyle Paulson (Southern California), Sebastian Rodriguez (Long Beach State) and Ryan Smith (Vanguard).

Hughes, Rodriguez and Smith competed internationally at the 2022 World University Championships. Hughes also competed at the 2019 U21 Beach World Championships.

Hurst won gold at the 2022 NORCECA U23 beach volleyball event and competed at the 2021 and 2022 U19 Beach World Championships.

Lewis men’s volleyball head coach Dan Friend will serve as the men’s team’s head coach assisted by University of Washington beach assistant coach Steve McFadden.

USA Volleyball Senior NTDP Coach Jose Loiola will work with both the women’s and men’s teams. Other U.S. Beach National Team staff will lead classroom sessions.

A maximum of four athletes (born in 2001 or later) per gender could be selected from the group for the U23 Beach National Team where two pairs per gender will compete in the 2023 NORCECA U23 Beach Tour Championships in Grand Cayman on July 7-9.

2023 Beach Collegiate National Team
Women

Name (Birth Year, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)

Peri Brennan (2002, 5-7, Laguna Beach, Calif., University of California, Los Angeles Southern California)
Sierra Caffo (2001, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., UC Berkeley, Southern California)
Alli Hansen (2002, 6-0, Everett, Wash., Grand Canyon University, Puget Sound)
Xolani Hodel (2002, 6-1, Huntington Beach, Calif., Stanford University, Southern California)
Paige Kalkhoff (2002, 5-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Florida State University, Ohio Valley)
Chloe Loreen (1999, 6-0, Seattle, Wash., University of Washington, Puget Sound)
Delaynie Maple (2002, 5-10, San Diego, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Nicole Nourse (2001, 5-11, Newport Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Audrey Nourse (2001, 5-11, Newport Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Molly Phillips (2001, 6-5, Mansfield, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
Ashley Vincent (2003, 5-10, Atlanta, Ga., Stanford, Southern)

Men

Name (Birth Year, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)

Ben Braun (2002, 6-11, Rancho Mirage, Calif., Ohio State University, Southern California)
Kupono Browne (2002, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawaii, BYU, Aloha)
Nato Dickinson (2002, 6-7, Corona Del Mar, Calif., Long Beach State University, Southern California)
Matthew Edwards (2003, 6-8, Irvine, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
Jackson Hickman (2000, 6-4, Phoenix, Ariz., Grand Canyon University, Arizona)
Heath Hughes (2000, 6-8, Haines City, Fla., BYU, Florida)
Thomas Hurst (2004, 6-4, Plano, Texas, NA, North Texas)
Jaylen Jasper (1999, 6-7, Annapolis, Md. Pepperdine, Chesapeake)
Kyle Paulson (2002, 6-8, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Sebastian Rodriguez (2001, 6-4, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
Ryan Smith (2001, 6-8, Parker, Colo., Vanguard University, Rocky Mountain)