USA Volleyball to launch college men’s beach volleyball championship

A beach volleyball national championship is coming for college men’s volleyball players.

USA Volleyball announced Thursday that eight men’s pairs will be selected to compete in the USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Championship on May 11-13 in Hermosa Beach, California.


The champion pair of this tournament also will earn a spot on the USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach National Team.

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A selection committee will determine the eight-team field based on performances during the 2017 season and the USAV Beach Rankings. Among the committee members are a yet to be announced NCAA men’s volleyball coach, five NCAA women’s volleyball coaches, three USA Volleyball representatives, two student-athletes and AVCA executive director Kathy DeBoer.

Along with the men’s tournament, this selection committee will pick 24 pairs for a women’s beach volleyball tournament. Both tournaments will be part of the Team USA Summer Champions Series.

“USA Volleyball is delighted to be a part of Team USA’s 2017 Summer Champions Series,” USA Volleyball CEO Jamie Davis said in a statement. “This collegiate tournament aligns with our strategic direction of increasing participation at all levels.”

The beach tournament will begin with a two days of pool play. All eight men’s volleyball pairs will then advance to the single-elimination stage with championship match being played May 13 and airing tape delayed on NBCSN later that night.