Kira Walkenhorst
Alix Klineman, of the United States, reacts to a play during a women's beach volleyball match against Cuba at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Ross, Klineman advance to face reigning beach queen Ludwig

By Jimmy Golen Aug. 01, 2021 10:48 PM EDT

This Aug. 2, 2020, photo provided by the Association of Volleyball Professionals shows Alix Klineman, left, and April Ross, far right, during a match against Kelly Claes, foreground, and Sarah Sponcil, not shown, at the AVP Champions Cup in Long Beach, Calif. Ross was 24 years old when she first started playing beach volleyball, the sport that would eventually send her to four Olympics. At that age, Sponcil is already headed to the Summer Games. Sponcil and her 25-year-old partner, Claes, are the first generation to come up through an NCAA beach volleyball program that didn’t exist until 2012 — long after Ross graduated from Southern California. They are the youngest U.S. beach team ever to qualify for the Olympics. (Robert Beck/AVP via AP)
For new generation of Olympians, path was through NCAA beach

By Jimmy Golen Jul. 11, 2021 11:39 AM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2016, file photo, United States' Kerri Walsh Jennings awaits a serve against Australia during a women's beach volleyball quarterfinal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The three-time beach volleyball gold medalist was defeated in her bid to reach a sixth Olympics when she and partner Brooke Sweat lost in a qualifying match on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 in Ostrava, Czech Republic (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
With Walsh Jennings out, new generation hits the beach

By Jimmy Golen Jul. 01, 2021 01:37 PM EDT

Old names, new teams highlight Tokyo beach volleyball field

By The Associated Press Jul. 01, 2021 01:01 PM EDT
TOKYO (AP) — HIGHLIGHTS FROM RIO: When Germans Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst took gold in 2016, they had to ask the bronze medal-winner what to do on the...