http://www.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball Recent articles about Beach Volleyball en-us 2012 London Olympic Games gold medal winner Kerri Walsh Jennings admitted on NBC's Today Show Monday morning that during the 2012 Olympic Games, she was pregnant while winning gold, along side her teammate Misty May Treanor."When I was throwing my body around fearlessly, and going for the gold for our country, I was pregnant, and today I'm 11 week pregnant," Walsh told NBC's Today Show co-host Matt Lauer (in the video below).Jennings and her husband Casey Jennings have two sons, Joey, 3 and Sundance 2.Jennings says that she knew something was up because she became moody during the time she was in London."I thought it could have been stress of the games and travel kind of throws your schedule off, but I knew. At some point, you're late and then you start feeling something. And I definitely started feeling something in London," Jennings explained.NBC News chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman says that Jennings didn't put her nor her fetus in... Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:04:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/video_volleyballer_kerri_walsh_admits_to_being_pregnant_at_2012_olympics/11795917 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/video_volleyballer_kerri_walsh_admits_to_being_pregnant_at_2012_olympics/11795917 Walsh pregnant during Olympics http://www.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/articles/video_volleyballer_kerri_walsh_admits_to_being_pregnant_at_2012_olympics/11795917 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/e/ce1fca0837422fd2cbe479a6dfe231c44d0c1ae0/mini/walsh.jpg Misty May-Treanr and Kerri Walsh Jennings extended their Olympic winning streak to 21 straight on Wednesday night with a 21-16, 21-16 victory over fellow Americans Jennifer Kessy and April Ross.  May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings are now three-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist going unbeaten in Athens, Beijing and now London.  Ross and Kessy won the silver medal in their Olympic debut. Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor have won every match in the Summer Games and have lost just one of 43 sets.   "It's insane. It doesn't feel like it's real," Walsh Jennings said. "I told Misty when we were getting our medals, 'If I wake up tomorrow and we have to replay this match, I'm going to be furious.' Because it feels like I'm in a dream. It truly feels surreal and it didn't feel like that the first two times for whatever reason. But this, it's almost too good to be true." Brazil's Juliana and Larissa beat Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of ... Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/may_treanor_walsh_jennings_win_womens_olympic_beach_volleyball/11410546 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/may_treanor_walsh_jennings_win_womens_olympic_beach_volleyball/11410546 May-Treanor, Walsh Jennings win women's Olympic beach volleyball http://www.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/articles/may_treanor_walsh_jennings_win_womens_olympic_beach_volleyball/11410546 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png April Ross and Jennifer Kessy walked off the Olympic sand with one flag draped over them both, wearing the stars and stripes and also big smiles as the second-best U.S. beach volleyball team. And the second-best in the world. The Olympic rookies lost 21-16, 21-16 to three-time champions Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor on Wednesday night - and falling short in an all-American final was a remarkable accomplishment in itself for these two. They were never supposed to beat their world power American teammates. They were never supposed to make it to the gold-medal match at all in their Olympic debut. Now, Ross and Kessy have little time to celebrate second place and get over coming so close to their first title of the year. On Monday, a day after they will attend the closing ceremony of the London Games, they're off to Poland for a grand slam event that's key for making money and piling up points. Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:41:31 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/kessy_and_ross_win_olympic_silver_in_beach_vball/11409880 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/kessy_and_ross_win_olympic_silver_in_beach_vball/11409880 Kessy and Ross win Olympic silver in beach v'ball http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/kessy_and_ross_win_olympic_silver_in_beach_vball/11409880 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Americans Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal were knocked out of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament on Monday night by Latvia. The Americans won the first set 21-19, then dropped two straight to Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins, 21-18, 15-11. The other American men's team, Beijing gold medalists Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, had already been eliminated. Latvia will meet the reigning world champion Brazilian team of Emanuel and Alison, which escaped a set point in the third to beat Poland 21-17, 16-21, 17-15. The reigning world champions trailed Mariusz Prudel and Grzegorz Fijalek 14-13 in the third. The Brazilians had one match point of their own before Alison spiked it to the sand, then ran off the court celebrating before returning to give his partner a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. The No. 2 Brazilian team of Ricardo and Pedro Cunha lost to Germany later Monday. Ricardo is the only three-time medalist in Olympic beach volleyball history, winning silver in Sydney, gold in Athens and bronze in Beijing -- the latter two with Emanuel as his partner. In the remaining quarterfinal, Reinder Nummerdor and Rich Schuil of the Netherlands were scheduled to meet Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo. The United States is already guaranteed a medal in the women's bracket, with two-time gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor into the semifinals along with April Ross and Jennifer Kessy. Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:14:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/latvia_knocks_us_men_out_of_games/11391910 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/latvia_knocks_us_men_out_of_games/11391910 Latvia knocks US men out of games http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/latvia_knocks_us_men_out_of_games/11391910 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png If you’ve been watching the beach volleyball action at Horse Guards Parade then you know all about the American duo of April Ross and Jen Kessy. Here’s some photos and some quick bio information. Jen Kessy  is an American professional beach volleyball player on the Nivea AVP Tour Kessy continued her athletic excellence while attending the University of Southern California (USC). She was a member of the volleyball team for all four years (1995–1998) and was named All-American her senior year. Also, she was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team.Jen graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in history. April Ross was born in Costa Mesa, California on June 20, 1982 to Glen and the late Margie Ross. She has a sister, Amy. Ross grew up in Newport Beach, California where she attended Newport Harbor High School. At NHHS, in addition to lettering in track, she was a star indoor volleyball player, eventually becoming the nation’s top recruit for her graduating class. She won the G... Sun, 05 Aug 2012 15:36:48 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/beach_volleyball_duo_april_ross_jen_kessy_photos_and_bio/11382478 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/beach_volleyball_duo_april_ross_jen_kessy_photos_and_bio/11382478 Beach Volleyball duo April Ross & Jen Kessy: photos and bio http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/beach_volleyball_duo_april_ross_jen_kessy_photos_and_bio/11382478 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The gold medalists' shoulders slumped as the shadow of Big Ben drew longer in the evening sun. Their body movements between points became sluggish, frustrated, staring at the sand as if somewhere down there hid the key to pulling off a miraculous comeback. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, the American beach volleyball duo who'd come home from Beijing with gold, were crumbling in London. They had been out-spiked and out-passed. They looked out of position and off-balance. They'd lost the first set to the younger, more nimble Italian team, and in the second set of this single elimination match in the Round of 16, they were down 8-7 but showing signs of life. Then the wheels came off. Dalhausser spiked into the net. Then he spiked out of bounds. Then the Italian Daniele Lupo served toward Dalhausser, who embarrassingly passed it nearly into the stands. Moments later, their body language said it all, when Lupo dug an American spike and put it over the net, out of reach of both Americans. Dalhausse Fri, 03 Aug 2012 17:55:26 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/dalhausser_rogers_upset_with_exit/11371156 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/dalhausser_rogers_upset_with_exit/11371156 Dalhausser, Rogers upset with exit http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/dalhausser_rogers_upset_with_exit/11371156 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/e/2eb9b039cf1d85aa4c9721a2738a766f04e7eff3/mini/Olympics_Day_1_d123.jpg Defending beach volleyball gold medalists Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser of the United States were knocked out of the Olympics on Friday by Italy. The Americans were among the favorites to win another gold medal. Rogers and Dalhausser lost the first set 21-17 and fell behind Paolo Nicolai and Danielle Lupo 12-7 in the second. The Americans tied it 19-19 but lost the final two points and were eliminated when Rogers' spike was blocked back into him by the 6-foot-8-inch Nicolai. Earlier Friday, Americans Jennifer Kessy and April Ross beat Switzerland's Simone Kuhn and Nadine Zumkehr to advance to the quarterfinals of the women's tournament. Top-seeded Juliana and Larissa also advanced, eliminating the Netherlands 21-10, 21-17, and Laura Ludwig and Sara Goller beat fellow Germans Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler 21-16, 21-15. The men's and women's round of 16 continued later Friday and Saturday. Mariusz Prudel and Grzegorz Fijalek of Poland also advanced in the first round of knockout play, beating Sascha Heyer and Seba Chevallier of Switzerland 21-18, 21-17. Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins of Latvia beat Martin Spinnangr and Tarjei Viken Skarlund of Norway, 21-18, 21-16. Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:45:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/usas_rogers_dalhausser_eliminated/11369764 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/usas_rogers_dalhausser_eliminated/11369764 USA's Rogers, Dalhausser eliminated http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/usas_rogers_dalhausser_eliminated/11369764 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/b/9bdab1d2430d15fc039ac8437ab67d2f42eda70a/mini/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f82231203.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1935E9D3D1A6545D2BBF44E5D0492236045.jpg Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal play as many as five matches a day on the professional beach volleyball tour, so they don't have much time to celebrate their wins or stew over losses. At the Olympics, the games come every other day. ''It's hard to sit on it for two days,'' Rosenthal said Wednesday after the Americans bounced back from their only loss of the preliminary round to beat Latvia in straight sets. ''Normally we'd be out there in a few hours.'' The Americans beat Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Ruslans Sorokins 21-10, 21-16 to finish atop their pool and advance to the knockout round. The U.S. pair, which finished fifth in Beijing, was in danger of being eliminated entirely after losing to Poland and falling to 1-1. The light Olympic schedule gave them time to work on some of the mistakes they made in their second match. But it also gave them too much time to second-guess themselves. ''You think of every match as a final, almost,'' Gibb said. ''It's not as cool when you lose.'' In other men's beach volleyball play on Wednesday, Martin Spinnangr and Tarjei Viken Skarlund of Norway beat Steve Grotowski and John Garcia-Thompson of Britain, 22-20, 21-13. The hosts finished pool play 0-3 and did not win a set, coming closest on Wednesday before the final point of the first set rolled along the tape on top of the net and fell onto their side, just inside the line. Even so, Grotowski said the Olympics were the highlight of his career. ''I've never experienced so many people cheering for me,'' he said. ''It is unimaginable for an athlete to compete in an atmosphere like this. That in itself was worth it. ''We'll be depressed and try to talk about what could have been, but it's still good to be here - to be a part of Team GB. ... We'll go away and hold our heads high. But we definitely had more to give.'' Also Wednesday in the men's bracket, Poland beat South Africa in straight sets; Russia beat China 29-27, 17-21, 15-12; Brazilians Ricardo and Pedro beat Canada in straight sets, and Germany beat Sascha Heyer and Seba Chevallier of Switzerland in two sets, too. In women's action, Germans Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler beat Mauritius in straight sets; defending bronze medalists Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China beat Greece in straight sets; Anastasia Vasina and Anna Vozakova of Russia beat Switzerland, 21-17, 19-21, 15-9; and top-seeded Juliana and Larissa of Brazil beat the Czechs in straight sets. Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:09:11 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gibb_rosenthal_of_us_advance_in_beach_volleyball/11354344 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gibb_rosenthal_of_us_advance_in_beach_volleyball/11354344 Gibb, Rosenthal of US advance in beach volleyball http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/gibb_rosenthal_of_us_advance_in_beach_volleyball/11354344 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Birthday girl Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh Jennings are off to a good start in the Summer Olympics… Misty May-Treanor walked off the beach volleyball court at Horse Guards Parade holding a brightly colored cupcake — a gift from partner Kerri Walsh Jennings’ mother. Their match, which started late Monday and ran past midnight, ended too late for May-Treanor to blow out the pirate candle on her actual 35th birthday, but it was a victory worthy of a party. “We’re celebrating on California time,” Walsh Jennings said early Tuesday morning in London after the 21-14, 21-19 victory over Czechs Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova. It was the 16th consecutive Olympic victory for the two-time gold medalists. The Americans, who have never lost a set in three Olympics, fell behind 18-15 in the second before tying it 18-all. Why hasn’t anyone ever asked this question before? I don’t follow beach volleyball religiously, but ANY sports fan knows who Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jenning... Wed, 01 Aug 2012 10:00:14 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/ultimate_wednesday_debate_whos_hotter_misty_may_treanor_or_kerri_walsh_jennings/11349760 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/ultimate_wednesday_debate_whos_hotter_misty_may_treanor_or_kerri_walsh_jennings/11349760 Ultimate Wednesday Debate: Who’s Hotter Misty May-Treanor or Kerri Walsh Jennings? http://www.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/articles/ultimate_wednesday_debate_whos_hotter_misty_may_treanor_or_kerri_walsh_jennings/11349760 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png To be honest, Todd Rogers said, he thought his hit that helped put the Americans one point away from victory was illegal, too. Rogers took a spike off the chest and then popped it up into the air for teammate Phil Dalhausser, who passed it back for Rogers to clear out. Whether that should count as three hits or four - one too many - depends on whom you ask, but in the referee's opinion it was a legal hit that gave the Americans a 14-12 lead. ''I told him (the referee) I thought it was a double-hit,'' Rogers said after holding on to win 19-21, 21-16, 15-13 and remain unbeaten in the preliminary round of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament. ''He said it was all one motion. ... It's a judgment call.'' Beach volleyball teams have three hits to get the ball back over the net, but contact made while attempting a block doesn't count. The referee told Rogers that when the ball bounced off his chest and wrist before Rogers could react it only counted as one hit. But Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:05:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/usas_rogers_dalhausser_beat_spain/11346793 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/usas_rogers_dalhausser_beat_spain/11346793 USA's Rogers, Dalhausser beat Spain http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/usas_rogers_dalhausser_beat_spain/11346793 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/a/5a047202cd1aca3baa445c5750d4f62b4db310f2/mini/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f89828135.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D045BB896F6E4B17D0581F2A6FDFEEB2464330B68303B38DE3.jpg First the drug tester told American beach volleyball player Jake Gibb that he was suspended. Then he said to call a doctor. A quick Internet search told Gibb the abnormal levels of hormones in his blood were most often found in pregnant women, steroid users and men with testicular cancer. A biopsy soon confirmed what he had already concluded. The doping ban was subsequently lifted, but Gibb was expected to miss the Olympics anyway while recovering. ''The Olympics were out,'' he said in a video posted to his website in the days leading up to the London Games. ''It was a tough dream to let go of. The toughest part was telling people and letting them know. Because once it came out of my mouth, it felt real.'' But surgery got the cancer -- all of it, meaning Gibb didn't need chemotherapy. He got back on tour with partner Sean Rosenthal and earned enough points to qualify for the London Games in the very last event of the year. Now, Gibb is a two-time Olympian. And a two-t Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:21:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gibb_gets_past_cancer_to_games/11335651 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gibb_gets_past_cancer_to_games/11335651 Gibb gets past cancer to games http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/gibb_gets_past_cancer_to_games/11335651 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png With beach volleyball set to kick off in London this Saturday, we thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce you to the five sexiest babes participating. We aren’t gonna rehash on Misty May-Treanor or Kerri Walsh. These girls are pretty under the radar here in the States, and some might come out as the darlings of London 2012. Can they win a third consecutive gold? Sure, but they aren’t winning a bikini competition. 2012 London Olympics Beach Volleyball Odds (via TheSpread.com) Larissa Franca / Juliana Felisberta Silva 5/2 Xi Zhang / Chen Xue 7/2 Misty May Treanor / Kerri Walsh 7/2 April Ross / Jennifer Kessy 8/1 Talita Antunes / Maria Antonelli 10/1 Greta Cicolari / Marta Menegatti 16/1 Marleen Van Iersel / Sanne Keizer 16/1 Sara Goller / Laura Ludwig 20/1 Angie Akers / Nicole Branagh 25/1 Katrin Holtwick / Ilka Semmler 33/1 Maria Clara Salgado / Carolina Salgado 40/1 Doris Schwaiger / Stefanie Schwaiger 40/1 Vivian Cunha / Taiana Lima 40/1 Angela Vieira / L... Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:00:02 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/the_5_sexiest_beach_volleyball_players_of_the_2012_olympics/11306254 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/the_5_sexiest_beach_volleyball_players_of_the_2012_olympics/11306254 Gallery: Get to know the Olympic beach volleyballers http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/the_5_sexiest_beach_volleyball_players_of_the_2012_olympics/11306254 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/4/8454b19b8bf20db99ad2562dc26861fde24e0468/mini/beach.jpg Olympic champions Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers defeated Matt Fuerbringer and Nick Lucena 21-17, 21-18 in an all-American final in the season-opening beach volleyball World Tour event Sunday. Dalhausser and Rogers, gold medalists in Beijing, needed 44 minutes to beat their countrymen in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia, earning their third straight title at the event. It was the duo's first tournament since Rogers injured his knee last August. Brazil's Ricardo Santos and Pedro Cunha won the bronze medal by beating Spain's Adrian Gavira and Pablo Herrera 21-18, 21-14. Sixteen of the 24 Olympic teams will be determined through yearlong Olympic rankings on the World Tour. China's Chen Xue and Xi Zhang defeated Brazil's Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes to win the women's final Friday. The event was the first of nine on the World Tour schedule. Beach volleyball in London will run July 28-Aug. 9. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:20:09 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/us_duo_dalhausser_and_rogers_win_event_in_brazil/10617292 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/us_duo_dalhausser_and_rogers_win_event_in_brazil/10617292 US duo Dalhausser and Rogers win event in Brazil http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/us_duo_dalhausser_and_rogers_win_event_in_brazil/10617292 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/e/fe0791a7c3779f3caa27e1823d801beccd7bd183/mini/Olympics_Day_3_c6f8.jpg In order to respect and accommodate the cultural beliefs of various countries, women volleyball players will be given more of a choice in clothing at the London Olympics this summer. Instead of having to wear bikinis, the International Volleyball Federation has announced that women will be allowed to wear shorts and tops with sleeves. The new rule permits “shorts of a maximum length of (1.18 inches) above the knee,” so I doubt we’ll be seeing any board shorts on the beach. “Many of these countries have religious and cultural requirements, so the uniform needed to be more flexible.” FIVB spokesman Richard Baker told The Associated Press Tuesday. “Winners of the Continental Cups will qualify for the Olympics, so it has to be applied.” Five Continental Cup Olympic qualifiers already had the rule in place, so it made sense to extend it to all athletes and countries. Plenty of athletes will stick to the bikini uniforms that they have become accustomed to, but the option is available. ... Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:53:05 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/women_volleyball_players_do_not_have_to_wear_bikinis_at_london_olympics/10412449 http://network.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/article_external/women_volleyball_players_do_not_have_to_wear_bikinis_at_london_olympics/10412449 Volleyball players given bikini reprieve http://www.yardbarker.com/beach_volleyball/articles/women_volleyball_players_do_not_have_to_wear_bikinis_at_london_olympics/10412449 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/c/dc4084318bedc9a40dc2f5c84be07bf1e7c4c4f9/mini/volleyball.jpg