Denaburg, Van Winkle Named to Women’s Beach Collegiate National Team

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Thirty-three college-aged beach volleyball athletes have been named to the 2022 U.S. Beach Collegiate National Team (BCNT) as announced by USA Volleyball. UCLA sophomore Lexy Denaburg and junior Abby Van Winkle have both been named to the squad, marking the second-consecutive year for Denaburg.

Thirteen athletes have previous BCNT experience, and four – Charles Siragusa, Alaina Chacon, Torrey Van Winden and Abby Van Winkle – earned BCNT spots in both 2020 and 2021. The Women’s BCNT roster is comprised of 12 All-Americans and five NCAA champions, four of whom have won the title twice. Five on the men’s roster have previously competed internationally for the U.S.

 

All 16 men and 17 women will attend a training block at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., June 12-18.

 

The men’s athletes hail from seven USA Volleyball regions and 11 colleges. Eight athletes – half the squad – are from the Southern California region, and two each are from the Aloha (island of Oahu) and Florida regions. Penn State, USC, UC Irvine and Grand Canyon each have two representatives on the squad.

 

The women’s team has more balance with 11 different schools and regions represented. Again, the Southern California region has the most athletes with four, but the Florida region is one behind at three, and the Lone Star region (southeast Texas) has two. Both USC and Florida State have four representatives on the women’s BCNT, UCLA has two, and the rest have one.

 

Cal Poly assistant Joe Rich will serve as the men’s head coach, and he’ll be assisted by Lewis head coach Dan Friend. Longtime coach and member of the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame Patty Dodd will serve as head coach for the women. Three-time Olympian and reigning gold medalist April Ross will assist Dodd.

 

2022 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team Roster

Name (Height; Hometown; School; USAV Region)
Will Bantle (6-5; Pacific Palisades, Calif.; Penn State; Southern California)
Benjamin Braun (6-10; Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Ohio State, Southern California)
Jack Deuchar (6-8; Honolulu, Hawaii; USC; Aloha)
Matthew Gentry (6-7; Hudson, Ohio; Lincoln Memorial; Ohio Valley)
Cole Gillis (6-5; San Diego, Calif.; UC Irvine; Southern…