Sand Volleyball
    Shaw-Urango, Burnham-Irvin Selected For AVCA National Pairs Tourney
    Women of Troy left out of team competition.
    Sara Shaw (l) sets Geena Urango
    Sara Shaw (l) sets Geena Urango

    April 16, 2012

    The USC women's sand volleyball teams of Sara Shaw-Geena Urango and Kirby Burnham-Kelly Irvin have been selected to compete in the pairs competition at the first AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship April 27 and 29 in Gulf Shores, Ala.

    The pairs championship will consist of 16 doubles teams in pool play on April 27 that will determine seeding into an April 29 single elimination tournament that will crown a national championship pairs team.

    The pairs competition includes the top doubles teams from USC, Hawaii, Florida Atlantic, Alabama-Birmingham, North Florida and Stetson, as well as from the four teams in the team championship.

    USC was not among the teams (Pepperdine, Florida State, Long Beach State and College of Charleston) selected into the April 28 team championship. The Women of Troy, 7-4 overall, had hoped to be selected as the at-large representative that instead went to Long Beach State (5-4).

    Shaw-Urango has posted a 17-14 record this season while playing as USC's No. 1 pairs team. The duo advanced to the semifinals of Sunday's (April 15) pairs tourney at the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge.

    Burnham-Irvin began 2012 playing in USC's No. 3 slot, but moved up to No. 2 by mid-season. The duo has a 19-12 record.

    Women's sand volleyball is in its inaugural season as an NCAA-sponsored "emerging" sport, with approximately 20 schools fielding teams. The sport has 10 years to get at least 40 schools to sponsor sand volleyball for two consecutive years and thereby become established as an NCAA championship sport, otherwise the NCAA will conduct a reclassification review of the sport.

    The NCAA does not conduct national championships for "emerging" sports.

    AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship

     

     

    Pairs Championship:

    Pool 1

    Newgard/Tiegs - Florida State

    Croson/Lee - Hawai'i

    Hampton/Fontanilla - Long Beach State

    Shelton/Kolich - College of Charleston

    Pool 2

    Racich/Ross - Pepperdine

    Burnham/Irvin - USC

    Tate/Pizzocheri - Florida Atlantic

    Gallhager/Thomas -Alabama-Birmingham

    Pool 3

    Ledoux/Roenicke - Long Beach State

    Frederick/Hill - Pepperdine

    Chubb/Theesfeld - College of Charleston

    Melville/Bassett - Stetson

    Pool 4

    Urango/Shaw - USC

    Pardon/Stepanova - Florida State

    Stoltzman/Harong - Hawai'i

    Medina/Strack - North Florida

    Team Championship:

    1. Pepperdine

    2. Florida State

    3. Long Beach State

    4. College of Charleston