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Pro Beach Volleyball in South Lake |
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Written by Submitted to the World
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Tuesday, 12 September 2006 |
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 The biggest names in professional volleyball return to Lake Tahoe this week at the MontBleu Resort Casino at Stateline, Nev., Sept. 14-17.
Such fierce competitors as Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, who’ve teamed up this year to win 12 times this season, will hit the sand at South Shore as well as top men’s team players Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger. On the line is $200,000 in prize money.
The AVP 2006 Lake Tahoe Best of the Beach will determine the best team on the AVP Crocs Tour. The top eight men’s and women’s teams earned an invitation to Best of the Beach with points earned during the 2006 AVP season from their best six finishes with the same partner. Tickets for the AVP Lake Tahoe Best of the Beach are available at www.avp.com. Daily Tickets are $20, $35 and $75 for VIP reserved box seats.
AVP 2006 Lake Tahoe Best of the Beach
MontBleu Resort Casino, Lake Tahoe, Nev.
Thursday, Sept. 14
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 15
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 16
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 17
Men’s & Women’s Finals
Gates Open Noon-5:30 p.m.
Big-name player bios
 MIKE LAMBERT
Age: 31
Hometown: Kaneohe, Hawaii
Resides: Costa Mesa, Calif.
Height: 6’6”
College:Stanford
“Lambo” or the “Hawaiian Curtain” as he is fondly known by his rivals on the AVP Tour has taken the beach volleyball community by storm and has become one of the sport’s most promising players in only his fourth professional season on the AVP Nissan Series.
Lambert, who is 6’6”, captured three first place finishes on the 2005 Tour, winning the Cincinnati Open, the Huntington Beach Open, and the Las Vegas Aquafina Shootout. He won the individual event in Las Vegas, won with John Hyden in Cincinnati and reunited with 2004 partner Karch Kiraly for a win in Huntington Beach. Lambert was third on the Tour in blocks in 2005 (with 334) while ranking fifth in kills percentage (.594) and ninth in hitting percentage (.434).
In 2004, Lambert was named AVP Best Offensive Player, AVP Most Valuable Player and part of AVP Team of the Year with his partner, beach volleyball legend Kiraly.
Lambert was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii and grew up alongside sisters Mia and Debbie. He graduated from Stanford in 1997 with a degree in Political Science. While there, he was a three-time All-American, and with AVP player Matt Fuerbringer led the Cardinal to their first and only NCAA National Championship in 1997.
Before Lambert transitioned to beach, he was a member of the U.S. National Team for five seasons (1995-1996 and 1998-2000) and was an Olympian in 1996 and 2000. Mike also played professionally in Italy for four years.
Lambert currently resides in Costa Mesa, California with his wife Deborah and their new daughter, Sveva Jay. When off the beach, Mike Lambert is a musician at heart and enjoys writing, singing, and playing guitar. He wrote and performed the official anthem of the Tour in 2004 and 2005: “We are the AVP” and “I love the AVP.”
Favorite Movie: North Shore
Favorite Band: Jack Johnson
Favorite Show: Animal Planet
Role Model: Karch Kiraly
Sponsors: Nautica, Gatorade, Visa, Oakley
Favorite Meal: Anything my wife Deborah makes
If you weren’t playing professional volleyball, what would you be doing?
“Either trying to open shows for Jack Johnson or becoming a real estate mogul in Hawaii alongside my mom.”
 STEIN METZGER
Age: 33
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Resides: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Height: 6’3”
College: UCLA
Stein Metzger, one of the most colorful and popular players on the AVP Nissan Series, had an impressive year in 2005, taking home the AVP Nissan Championship Series title. Metzger and his partner Jake Gibb led the 2005 Tour with four wins and were named the 2005 AVP Team of the Year.
Metzger and Gibb won both of their first two events together in 2005, becoming just the third team since 1990 to accomplish such a feat. The duo won again at the Belmar Open and then placed second in an FIVB Grand Slam event in Paris, logging the highest finish by an American team in 2005. The pair took home the prestigious Manhattan Beach Open title, making Metzger and Gibb just the second team to win four domestic tournaments in a season since the turn of the century. It also marked the first time since the 2003 season opener that a number one-seeded team won an AVP open event. In 2005, Metzger led the Tour in digs (950), ranked second in hitting percentage (.452) and third in kills (1,314).
Metzger made his Olympic Beach Volleyball debut at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens where he and partner Dax Holdren advanced to the semifinals.
Prior to qualifying for the Olympics, Metzger spent time competing internationally with former partner Kevin Wong. The pair won the 2001 FIVB event in Switzerland and the Bronze Medal at the Goodwill Games in Australia. Metzger and Wong also won in Portugal in 2002. Metzger took home a silver medal in Rio at the World Championships in 2003 with Dax Holdren.
Originally from Honolulu, HI, Stein grew up surfing and playing beach volleyball at the Outrigger Canoe Club in Honolulu. Metzger was a three-time National Champion at UCLA where he earned All-American for three consecutive seasons including the 1996 NCAA MVP and William G. Morgan Award for most outstanding player. He graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies.
Stein is currently sponsored by Speedo and Liftoff™ effervescent energy drink. He currently resides in Manhattan Beach, Calif. and was married in January 2006.
 KERRI WALSH
Age: 27
Hometown: Santa Clara, Calif.
Resides: Redondo Beach, Calif.
Height: 6’3”
College: Stanford
“Six-feet of Sunshine,” Kerri Walsh, 27, had an impressive year in 2005, winning 10 AVP Tour titles, the Nissan Series Championship and six international titles.
Along with partner Misty May-Treanor, Walsh captured the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. The duo had one of the longest and most impressive win streaks in professional sports after winning 89 straight matches on the AVP Tour as well as the international circuit. Walsh and May-Treanor collected 50 straight match victories from the 2004 Olympics until the Cincinnati Open in July 2005.
Walsh was the AVP MVP in 2003 and 2004 and part of the Tour’s Team of the Year for the past three seasons. She was also named Best Offensive Player in 2003.
Walsh comes to the beach with impeccable indoor credentials. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in American Studies. While there, she became only the second player in NCAA history to receive First-Team All-American honors all four seasons (1996-1999). She was also the first player in Pac-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502). Walsh is considered to be one of the best all-around players in collegiate history. She was a member of the United States National Team for two seasons (1999-2000) and was a right side hitter on the 2000 Olympic Team, helping the team play in the medal round and finish fourth in Sydney.
Born to Margie and Tim Walsh on August 15, 1978, Walsh grew up playing sports with her older brother Marte and her younger sisters Kelli and KC. Walsh comes from an athletic background as her father played minor league baseball for the Oakland A’s and her mother was named two-time MVP in volleyball at Santa Clara.
Walsh currently resides in Redondo Beach, Calif. with her husband and fellow beach volleyball player, Casey Jennings. The two were married Dec. 4, 2005.
Favorite Movie: True Romance
Favorite Band: Sade
Favorite Show: The Apprentice
Role Model: Paul Newman, Andre Agassi
Sponsors: Speedo, Gatorade, Sirius, Halls, Wilson, Visa, Bolle
Favorite Meal: Mexican
If you weren’t playing professional volleyball, what would you be doing?
“I would probably be back in school preparing myself for the business world.”
 MISTY MAY-TREANOR
Age: 28
Hometown: Costa Mesa, Calif.
Resides: Coral Springs, Fla.
Height: 5’10”
College: Long Beach State
Arguably one of the most naturally gifted female players, Misty May-Treanor has had impressive accomplishments the past two seasons. She and partner Kerri Walsh captured the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, and her 17 wins (domestic plus international) in 2005 marks the most ever among women.
May-Treanor and Walsh collected 50 straight match victories from the 2004 Olympics until the Cincinnati Open in July 2005. The duo has been named AVP Team of the Year three years in a row (2003, 2004, 2005) and May-Treanor was named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and Best Offensive Player in 2004 and 2005. May-Treanor, also nicknamed “Turtle” is going into her fourth year on the AVP Tour, but her sixth playing professional beach volleyball. Earlier in her career, May-Treanor paired up with Holly McPeak and took a fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games.
May-Treanor attended Long Beach State where she was part of the 1998 NCAA Championship, defeating Penn State and was awarded the NCAA Championship Co-MVP. In addition to the victory, May-Treanor received several other collegiate accolades including the 1998 Honda Broderick NCAA Athlete-of-the-Year Award and was an NCAA First-Team All-American in the years 1996-1998. She graduated with a BA in Kinesiology.
May-Treanor was born in Los Angeles on July 30, 1977, but spent her high school years in Costa Mesa where she attended Newport Harbor High School. She grew up alongside her two brothers Brack and Scott. May-Treanor currently resides in Long Beach with her husband and Florida Marlins catcher, Matt Treanor. She enjoys playing with her boxers Gruden and Boogie.
Favorite Movie: CaddyShack
Favorite Band: Busta Rhymes
Favorite Show: CSI, A&E, D.O.G., Animal Planet, Iron Chef, Las Vegas
Role Model: All those people that can’t play due to disability or illness. They live each day to the fullest because they don’t know what tomorrow may bring
Sponsors: Nautica, Wilson, Oakley, Nutrition Express
Favorite Meal: Prime Rib, I love Lawry’s
If you weren’t playing professional volleyball, what would you be doing?
“I hope that I would still get my spot on SNL but I would like to have a family and coach, but if I wasn’t coaching, I would like to have kids and follow my husband around and support him in the stands.”
— Source: www.avp.com
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 17 September 2006 )
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