Huskers Head to San Diego

The Nebraska volleyball teams wraps up the spring portion of its schedule on Sunday, as they head to San Diego for the Collegiate Beach Nationals this weekend. This event, in its third year of competition, brings six of the nation's top teams to the West Coast for a day of competition. The event, which is coordinated by AVP Tour and the AVCA, begins at Mariner’s Point in San Diego at 10 a.m. (central) with semifinals and finals taking place later that day.

The six teams involved in the 2008 event include the Huskers, USC, Texas, Wisconsin, Clemson and the University of San Diego. The teams are in two three-team pools, with Texas and San Diego joining the Huskers in their side of the bracket. One change from this year from previous years is that the tournament is a team event, as four teams from each school are put into different flights. Nebraska's teams for Sunday's event include Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller, Lindsey Licht and Rachel Schwartz, Kori Cooper and Amanda Gates, and Kayla Banwarth, Brooke Delano and Jordan Wilberger.

Larson teamed with Sarah Pavan to win the 2007 event, the first year where players with college eligibility were able to compete in the competition.

The games in pool play are best 2-of-3 sets to 15 while the later rounds will be played to 21. To determine this year's winner, the players in Flight A will receive two points for reaching the semifinals, four points for a runner-up finish and eight points for winning that flight. In the other flights, teams can receive between one and four points for winning their respective flights.

Extensive television coverage of the Collegiate Nationals kicksoff with a special one-hour program airing on CBS Sports on Sunday, May 25 (1 p.m.). The show will launch eight consecutive days of Olympic-style programming on CBS College Sports Network, followed by sport specific shows.  AVP All-Star and Olympic Bronze Medalist Holly McPeak teams with play-by-play announcer Chris McGee to call the volleyball action. 

The Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship will adhere strictly to NCAA guidelines for college volleyball.  For more information, visit www.thecollegiatenationals.com.