Huskers Head to California for Collegiate Beach Championships

Lincoln ?For the Nebraska volleyball team, the spring season ends out west, as members of the Husker volleyball program will head to Riverside, Calif., for the 2009 Collegiate Beach Championship on Saturday, April 18.

The Huskers, who have spent this week training in the sand courts at the Hawks Championship Center, will send four teams to California for this unique event. The Collegiate Beach Championship is in conjunction with the AVP Crocs Tour Riverside Open this weekend, and the 2009 event marks the third straight year that collegiate athletes have played in this event.

Nebraska’s teams for this weekend’s action include the duo of Sydney Anderson and Tara Mueller, as the Husker All-Americans are the Huskers’ top-seeded team. Other teams competing include Jordan Wilberger and Kaitlynn James, Brooke Delano and Kayla Banwarth and Hannah Werth and Megan Pendergast.

Other programs besides Nebraska heading to California this weekend include Texas, Hawaii, USC, University of San Diego, Utah, North Carolina and UC Riverside. A complete listing of indivual teams are at the bottom of this release.

The beach volleyball championship showcases the nation’s top women’s collegiate volleyball players in a team-style format with each school fielding four teams of two players.  Following the conclusion of the event, one school will be awarded the overall Championship.  The pool play sessions are Saturday, April 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (central) with the finals taking place from 5-8 p.m.

Fans can watch coverage of the event beginning with a one-hour special on CBS Sports on Saturday, May 16th at 1 p.m.

The Huskers wrapped up the team portion of the spring last Saturday, falling in five sets to Wichita State in front of a sellout crowd of 2,400 in Scottsbluff. Nebraska ended the spring with a 2-1 record.

Official 2009 Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship Team Rosters
HAWAII
Team 1 - Stephanie Brandt / Elizabeth Ka'aihue
Team 2 - Dani Mafua / Kanani Danielson
Team 3 - Amber Kaufman / Aneli Cubi-Otineru / Emily Maeda
Team 4 - Brittany Hewitt / Jayme Lee / Sarah Prather / Catherine Fowler

NEBRASKA
Team 1 - Sydney Anderson / Tara Mueller
Team 2 - Jordan Wilberger / Kaitlynn James
Team 3 - Brooke Delano / Kayla Banwarth
Team 4 - Hannah Werth / Megan Pendergast

NORTH CAROLINA
Team 1: Stephanie Jansma / Christine Vaughen
Team 2: Heather Brooks / Suzanne Haydel
Team 3: Lauren Prussing / Kaylie Gibson
Team 4: Brianna Eskola / Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland / Erica Behm

SAN DIEGO
Team 1 ? Andrea Csaszi and Colleen Carlson
Team 2 ? Ali Troost and Kayleen Webster
Team 3 ? Ashton Basch and Torey Ellick
Team 4 ? Jillian Wolpman, Sarah Schatzman and Kelsi Myers

TEXAS
Team 1 - Ashley Engle / Lauren Paolini
Team 2 ? Kiley Hall / Heather Kisner
Team 3 - Juliann Faucette / Amber Roberson
Team 4 - Michelle Kocher / Sydney Yogi / Jen Doris

UC RIVERSIDE
Team 1 ? Brittney Murrey / Dominique Cowling
Team 2 ? Kelly Simpson / Kelley Quinn
Team 3 ? Katherine Castillo / Tonbara Youpele
Team 4 ? Amanda Nilsson / Angela Pizzella

UTAH
Team 1 ? Lori Baird / Keisha Fisher
Team 2 ? Kathryn Haynie / Chelsey Sandberg
Team 3 ? Emillie Toone / Karolina Bartkowiak
Team 4 ? Sarah Hibbert / Stephanie Shardlow

USC
Team 1 ? Jessica Gysin / Alex Jupiter
Team 2 ? Zoe Garrett / Geena Urango
Team 3 ? Kimmee Roleder / Alli Hillgren / Kati Cattaneo
Team 4 ? Mychaela Miller / Paige Obradovich / Emilie Stewart