Beach Update: Langkawi roster, JBT Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – American beach volleyball athletes are hitting the road once again for the fifth tournament of the FIVB World Tour season. Amateur volleyball in the states closes in on championship seasons with USAV and the NCAA.

The 2017 Junior Beach Tour Championships will be held in the Florida Region in Siesta Key. The announcement was made on April 11 for the July 20-25 tournament that is open to JBT bid winners and non-bid winners. Only a few weeks separate us from the NCAA postseason. The NCAA Championships will be held in Gulf Shores, Ala., May 5-7 and will be followed by the USAV Collegiate Beach Championships in Hermosa Beach, Calif., May 11-13.

The U.S. will play in Langkawi, Malaysia, for the dual gender one star tournament, April 15-16. David McKienzie and Andrew Dentler earned a main draw wild card in the 16-team single elimination bracket. Two additional men’s teams are on the reserve, Adam Roberts/Marty Lorenz and Mark Burik/Bill Kolinske. Emily Stockman and Kimberly DiCello have the No. 1 seed on the women’s main draw bracket. Jace Pardon/Aurora Davis are listed on the reserve and hoping to make their first FIVB appearance.

2017 JUNIOR BEACH TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour Championships will be held in Siesta Key, Florida from July 20-25. The event will offer championship titles to boys and girls in age groups 12 and under, 14U, 16U and 18U. There are two divisions at the Championships, Open and Club – Club is for all participants to compete in that have not earned a bid on the Junior Beach Tour.

NCAA BEACH
All Top 5 schools from last week’s rankings retained their positions and the biggest jump on the AVCA Coaches poll was TCU, who rings in at 13th after previously not being ranked. The Horned Frogs earned wins against three ranked opponents last weekend and dropped only one dual, against No. 4 Florida State. Of the Top 15, five schools hail from the state of California and four from Florida. There are two weeks left in the regular season before the May 5-7 NCAA Championships.

Follow the NCAA beach volleyball action with the NCAA’s game center page, giving you up-to-date information about each week’s match-ups.

Nominations for men and women’s pairs for @teamusa #scs2017 Collegiate Beach Championships now open https://t.co/pPaJslUW7R pic.twitter.com/JcR3FUi6LB

— USAV Beach (@USAVBeach) April 12, 2017

USA VOLLEYBALL COLLEGIATE BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPS
USA Volleyball’s Collegiate Beach Championships will be held May 11-13 in Hermosa Beach, California. Playing for a spot on a USA Volleyball collegiate beach national team are 24 women’s pairs and eight men’s pairs. NBCSN will air the women’s final live on May 13 from 6-7:30 p.m. ET, and immediately afterwards the taped delayed men’s final.

MIKE WHITMARSH BEACH VOLLEYBALL 4-MAN TOURNAMENT
The 3rd Annual Mike Whitmarsh Beach Volleyball 4-Man Tournament is on June 3 at North Dog Beach in Del Mar, California. The event, which celebrates the life and legacy of Olympian Mike Whitmarsh, starts at 9 a.m. PT. Partial proceeds will go to Starlings Volleyball Clubs, USA.

WEEK IN REVIEW
NORCECA La Paz
– Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen won bronze, their fifth NORCECA medal individually and as a team
– Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol placed fourth, the top U.S. men’s finish; was their first international event since 2012
– Brittany Hochevar/Emily Day placed sixth; Stafford Slick/Reid Priddy finished ninth in Priddy’s first international beach event

UPCOMING EVENTS
April 15-16 FIVB Malaysia 1-Star
April 20-23 FIVB Xiamen 3-Star
April 21-23 NORCECA Cayman Islands
May 4-7 AVP Huntington Beach
May 5-7 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship
May 11-13 USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Championships
May 17-21 FIVB Rio 4-Star
May 18-21 AVP Austin
May 23-28 FIVB Lucerne 4-Star
May 31 – June 4 FIVB Moscow 3-Star