Humbled U.S. Olympic beach volleyball stars eye redemption at Manhattan Beach Open
Paris marked new territory in U.S. beach volleyball history.
The men and women donning the red, white and blue departed the Olympics with no medals in the sport for the first time since its introduction at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
“That was the first time either one of us has been [to the Olympics], so for me, it is kind of a weird state,” said Kristen Nuss, who fell to Canada in the round of 16 with her partner Taryn Kloth. “We’ve had let-down tournaments, but it’s never been at the Olympics.”
For former medal favorites Kloth and Nuss, entering a new slate of competition begins a process of refocusing and recovery — one that starts when they travel from their training grounds in Louisiana to Manhattan Beach.
April Ross and Alix Klineman have earned Olympic gold medals. Their next big goal is to juggle raising babies while competing on the AVP tour.
The Manhattan Beach Open, which kicked off its main draw Friday morning, features Kloth and Nuss as the top seed in the women’s bracket, while the Americans’ three other men’s and women’s Olympic pairs will also compete for the first time since the Olympics. The tournament champions will secure their spot in the inaugural AVP League.
“You have to find a way to push past that [losing] and get over it,” Kloth said. “Is it challenging and does it make it more challenging that it was the Olympics? Absolutely. But I really do think that it happens for a reason, and it is going to make us stronger.”
USC alumni Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes, who lost their Olympic quarterfinal against Switzerland, appear on the opposite side of the women’s bracket as the second seed. Tokyo Olympics gold medalists April Ross and Alix Klineman are the fifth seed — competing in their second event since returning to action after finishing in seventh at the Huntington Beach Open in May.
In men’s action, Andy Benesh and Miles Partain — USC and UCLA alums, respectively — are the third seed after their Olympic quarterfinal defeat to Qatar, while Southern California locals Chase Budinger and Miles Evans are fifth-seeded after losing in the round of 16.
“There were some matches in the Olympics where I felt like we didn’t play up to our standard, or played our system as well as we could have,” Budinger said. “This is a good opportunity for us to get back to that.”
Evans said that recovery is at the forefront of his mind as one of the older men’s pairs in the tournament — with both athletes in their mid-30s — as they switch from the once-a-day matches in Paris to competing multiple times a day.
“I definitely need to get a readjustment and get a bunch of treatment in between [matches],” he said. “I’ve seen a couple of medical providers for the USA volleyball program and I’m trying to make sure my body’s right.”
Budinger, the former NBA veteran who switched sports during his now-seven-year retirement from the hardwood, said the opportunity to get his name on the pier has motivated him after their Olympic defeat.
The Manhattan Beach Open winners historically receive plaques commemorating their victory on the Manhattan Beach Pier’s Walk of Fame.
Chase Budinger played in the NBA for seven seasons before transitioning to beach volleyball. He and Miles Evans are hoping to surprise in the Paris Olympics.
“It’s in the mecca of beach volleyball,” Budinger said. “Walking down with my [2-year-old son Beckham] and showing him the possibility of having my name on there would be really cool.”
Budinger added that there is added pressure returning from Paris, creating a target on their backs as they enter the Open.
Second-seeded Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander won the Huntington Beach Open and were honored Thursday with their Manhattan Beach Open plaques after winning the Hurricane Hilary-hampered competition last year. Crabb’s older brother, Trevor Crabb, and Theo Brunner are atop the men’s bracket after Budinger and Evans leaped over the pair to secure the final U.S. Olympic qualifying slot.
Evans said no matter who they face, the best way to silence their competition is to showcase their skills throughout the weekend.
“We have just got to be ready for everyone’s best game and, and [we have] nothing to prove,” Evans said. “Just go play what we know how to do and try to implement the reason why we got to the Olympics in the first place.”
Go beyond the scoreboard
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