Off The Net Sports

AVP Hermosa Beach Open 2009, originally uploaded by Erik Oginski.

Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs win at the AVP Crocs Slam Hermosa Beach Open to continued their stellar season. This win is number 7 in nine events. Branagh and Youngs defeated reigning world champions April Ross and Jen Kessy 19-21, 23-21 and 15-11.

Video Spotlight: Get to Know Kerri Walsh

Intro about Kerri Walsh:
Six-feet of Sunshine, Kerri Walsh is on her way to becoming the best female beach volleyball player of all time after only playing professionally for seven years. Walsh is a two-time AVP MVP (2003, 2004) and part of the Tour’s Team of the Year for the past five seasons. She has also been named AVP Best Offensive Player in 2003. For the third straight season, she was chosen as the FIVB’s Best Hitter, Best Blocker and Sportsperson in addition to collecting the 2007 Best Offensive and Most Outstanding Player awards.

Video and intro courtesy of AVP

American Beach Volleyball Gold Medalist Celebrate, originally uploaded by BSR-12.
Todd Rogers and Philip Dalhausser / USA vs. Fabio Magalhaes and Marcio Araujo / Brazil

The AVP and the United States have invited Brazil to Westgate City Center in Glendale, Arizona for the AVP World Challenge – USA vs. Brazil. If Brazil accepts, it will put the top AVP Crocs Tour players against the top Brazilian players.

The US teams will likely include Kerri Walsh, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers

Kerri Walsh, originally uploaded by jamie nyc.
Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh in Hermosa Beach, California

Kerri Walsh plans to return to the AVP at the AVP Crocs Slam Hermosa Beach Open after being absent from the first nine events of the 2009 AVP Crocs Tour season because of the birth of her first son, Joseph Michael Jennings, with husband and AVP player Casey Jennings.

Walsh will be playing with Rachel Wacholder, who will also make her return to AVP Crocs Tour in Hermosa Beach after the birth of her son, Koa Daniel Scott, with husband and AVP player Sean Scott as Misty May-Treanor rehabilitates from an injury.

Video Spotlight: Get to Know April Ross

Tidbits about April Ross:

• Ross is the first U.S. woman to start her career with three FIVB victories.
• Ross became the first U.S. woman to win FIVB Rookie of the Year in 2007, one season after winning the AVP’s Rookie of the Year award.
• In 2008 Ross logged the highest ace-per-game average in AVP history with 1.24 per game, while also recording the FIVB’s second fastest serve in 2008 (85.7 km/hr in Berlin).

Video and tidbits courtesy of AVP