HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — The brand new yr is just not but upon us, however the brand new period of seaside volleyball most actually is.
On Thursday, the AVP concluded the rollout of its season-ending awards, saying Tri Bourne and Kelly Cheng because the MVP of their respective genders. It’s the primary time both has been named the MVP — they usually each have a minimum of six extra seasons to play, with Bourne being 33 and Cheng 27.
“Once you put crew first, the whole lot else falls into place,” mentioned Bourne, who was additionally voted Crew of the Yr, alongside Trevor Crabb. “After we heart the whole lot round being the most effective crew and teammates doable, then the whole lot else falls into place.”
In a season with extra new winners on the ladies’s aspect — Terese Cannon and Sarah Sponcil, Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward, Julia Scoles and Geena Urango, Carly Kan and Jen Keddy — than any in current reminiscence, and the lads shedding practically half a dozen of probably the most dominant gamers of this technology to retirement, both full or pseudo — Nick Lucena, John Hyden, Casey Patterson, Sean Rosenthal — the whole lot, it appears, is alas starting to fall into place.
Bourne and Trevor Crabb, three-time winners on the AVP this season, have been named the Crew of the Yr for the primary time, as have been their feminine counterparts, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth. It’s no shock that it’s the primary time for the latter: 2022 was simply their second season on tour, a yr by which they received each the primary and the final occasion, and threw in Chicago for good measure.
Taylor Sander and Scoles have been named the Rookies of the Yr — and each have a official shot at qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sander’s accomplice, Taylor Crabb, was once more named the Finest Defensive Participant, the fourth such time he’s received the award — at simply 30 years previous. Sponcil received her first Finest Defensive Participant (she was additionally the VolleyballMag Finest Defensive Participant), whereas her accomplice, Terese Cannon, was named Most Improved. That award for the lads? Miles Partain, who turned 21 on Sunday, was voted by his friends as each Most Improved and Finest Offensive Participant, an award he shared with Cheng.
“Possibility Gang,” she jokingly known as the 2, as she choices greater than any feminine on the earth, whereas Partain hits on two greater than any male on the AVP.
All advised, each lady — save for Betsi Flint, who was named Finest Server, alongside Sander — who received an AVP award did so for the primary time of their respective class. Similar goes for Bourne, Partain (twice) and Sander. Even Brandie Wilkerson, who was named the Finest Blocker on the FIVB in 2018, received her first such award on the AVP. The identical, nonetheless, can’t be mentioned for her accomplice in that class. Theo Brunner was named the AVP’s Finest Blocker for the third time, 9 years after profitable his first.
In a yr with new faces, new companions, new winners, new homeowners, and new occasions, the awards, given to new gamers, was a becoming finish to a yr rife with change.
A brand new period of expertise is formally right here.
Checklist of AVP Awards
MVP: Tri Bourne, Kelly Cheng (VolleyballMag: Miles Partain, Kelly Cheng)
Crew of the Yr: Tri Bourne and Trevor Crabb, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth (VolleyballMag: Tri Bourne and Trevor Crabb, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth)
Finest Offensive Participant: Miles Partain, Kelly Cheng (VolleyballMag: Phil Dalhausser, Kelly Cheng)
Finest Blocker: Theo Brunner, Brandie Wilkerson (VolleyballMag: Theo Brunner, Brandie Wilkerson)
Finest Defensive Participant: Taylor Crabb, Sarah Sponcil (VolleyballMag: Miles Partain, Sarah Sponcil)
Rookie of the Yr: Taylor Sander, Julia Scoles (VolleyballMag: Taylor Sander, Julia Scoles)
Finest Server: Taylor Sander, Betsi Flint (VolleyballMag: N/A)
Most Improved: Miles Partain, Terese Cannon (VolleyballMag: Andy Benesh, Terese Cannon)
Tina Graudina named Jurmala Athlete of the Yr
Tina Graudina, the Latvian who helped lead USC to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2021 and 2022, was named the Jurmala Athlete of the Year earlier this week. The award comes on the heels of a season by which she received an NCAA Championship, an AVP Professional Collection in Fort Lauderdale, the European Championship, and a pair of silver medals on the Volleyball World Seashore Professional Tour. Graudina and her accomplice, Anastasija Samoilova, have been additionally named the Jurmala Crew of the Yr.
