University of Tennessee Athletics
VB to compete at SEC Coaches Beach Championship
April 10, 2008 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? The Lady Vol volleyball team will trade in the Tennessee hardwoods for the soft sands of Florida this weekend as it is set to compete in the inaugural Southeastern Conference Coaches Beach Volleyball Championship at the Southwest Recreation Center in Gainesville, Fla.
???I am really excited that the SEC has taken the lead in pushing beach volleyball into the forefront,??? UT head coach Rob Patrick said. ???Our players are also excited to have the chance to compete in the first conference challenge of its kind and it is terrific that the SEC is providing this type of opportunity for its female student-athletes.
???Doubles is a great game to develop all-around volleyball skills,??? Patrick said. ???We have always used it as part of our training regimen to help develop ball-control and movement skills that enhance our indoor volleyball abilities.???
The festivities will begin on the afternoon of Fri., April 11, when the courts at the Southwest Recreation Center will be available for team practice sessions. The itinerary will continue on Friday evening with the SEC Coaches Beach Volleyball Championships banquet, set for 7 p.m. ET at the Best Western Gateway Grand. Beach volleyball legend and three-time Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly will be the featured speaker for the event.
Kiraly retired from the AVP Tour in 2007 as the winningest player in beach volleyball history in terms of both tournaments and prize money, having won more than 150 events and claimed more than $3 million in earnings. A 2001 inductee into the Volleyball Hall of Fame, he is the only player to ever win Olympic gold medals both indoors and on the sand.
Competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning with pool play, during which each team will play a minimum of four matches in one of four different levels. Each pool-play match will consist of two 21-point sets, and teams must win each set by at least two points. Based on pool-play results, all teams will advance to playoffs within their respective levels. Playoffs will be single elimination with a one-set format, played to 21 points.
At the end of pool play, the school with the most points will be awarded the Commissioner???s Cup, a diamond-shaped beveled-glass trophy in a black stand. Etched into the glass section of the trophy is the tournament logo. The award will be presented to the winning institution by SEC Associate Commissioner Debbie Corum.
Nine Lady Vols are set to make the trip this weekend, as UT will feature four doubles pairings in the 40-team field. Sophomore Kylie Marshall and 2007 SEC Freshman of the Year Nikki Fowler will comprise the Orange and White???s top squad, while juniors Milan Clarke and Laur??n LaFlamme will form the second team. The third unit will feature sophomore Leah Hinkey and Chloe Goldman, while the fourth pairing will include sophomore Carol Cheade and either junior Mindy Flynn or graduating senior Yuliya Stoyanova.
This weekend???s competition will mark the close of Tennessee???s spring schedule, which also included trips to Miami (Ohio) and North Carolina. The Lady Vols will open their 2008 fall slate on Aug. 29 at the Marquette Kickoff Classic in Milwaukee, Wis.
PROBABLE LADY VOL PAIRINGS
1 Kylie Marshall / Nikki Fowler
2 Milan Clarke / Laur??n LaFlamme
3 Leah Hinkey / Chloe Goldman
4 Carol Cheade / Mindy Flynn or Yuliya Stoyanova
