USA Women qualify for London and Earn World No. 1 Ranking
The USA women came out of the box strong in 2010 with an unexpected Grand Prix win. But in 2011 they took it to a whole new level. The women managed to repeat as Grand Prix champs, beating No. 1 Brazil to do it. With outstanding play from Opposite Destinee Hooker and Outside Hitter Logan Tom and the fantastic blocking of Middle Blockers Foluke Akinradewo and Heather Bown, the USA women were quickly becoming the team to beat in the international game. They put the icing on the cake with a 2nd place finish in World Cup, clinching a berth to the London Games at the first opportunity. The USA women were subsequently ranked No. 1 in the world, edging out Brazil, the team that has been in the top spot since before Beijing. Brazil has yet to qualify for London. The women's team may very well be the best collection of athletes this country has ever put together. Should they stay healthy, they could very well bring home the first ever gold medal for USA women’s volleyball.
The New Face of American Pro Beach Volleyball
When the AVP closed its doors in 2010, no one quite knew what to expect for 201l. Would there be beach volleyball in the states? Would the AVP be back? Would someone come in and take over the sport? The questions lingered and in a sense still remain unanswered. What we saw in 2011 was the beginning of something new, but it is still unclear exactly what. Over the summer, three different entities - Corona Light Wide Open, USAV and NVL each held a few tournaments across the country. The venues were smaller, the prize money reduced and the television coverage was scarce. Many of the top teams with the exception of Sean Scott and John Hyden spent the majority of their time overseas on the FIVB Tour. A few tournaments drew some of the more famous names, but for the most part the American beach volleyball scene was nothing like it has been in the past. The AVP re-emerged with a great marketing ploy that drew fans back to the website for a secret launch centered around May 15th. In the end, the tournament they put on in late October was a bit of a disappointment to many. This summer we’ll see if they can continue to be a factor in the ever-changing landscape of pro beach volleyball. It looks like we can expect more of the same for 2012. USAV will not be taking over the Olympic qualification process for London due to a backlash from the players about the format and the uncertainty around with so little time remaining before the Olympics. So there will be no Olympic Trials for beach volleyball to choose the two teams that will represent the country, the players will be chosen using the FIVB qualification process as always. USAV says they will be working with the players to develop a process that works for both the players and the organization for 2016.
