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It did not take long for San Diego City College to establish itself as a perennial men’s beach volleyball program.
San Diego City College won both the tournament team championship and individual pair championship at the inaugural college men’s beach volleyball national championship during the weekend at Huntington Beach, California.
San Diego City College had five of its pair teams finish in the tournament’s top 10 as it defeated second-place Orange Coast College by 12 points to win the California Community College Men’s Volleyball Championship. In addition, the San Diego City College pair of Kyle Taylor and Zach Kramer defeated Orange Coast College’s Sean Keyes and Jordan Hoppe in the championship match to win the individual title.
While women’s beach volleyball recently became a sanctioned NCAA sport, this was the first organized men’s beach volleyball tournament at the college level. The six-team field also featured almost 30 pairs and more than 50 student-athletes competing for the championship.
“It is clear that the tournament was a huge success for all the teams involved,” Kevin Pratte, San Diego City College coach and CCMVA president, said in a statement. “I am thrilled that my San Diego City College program won the tournament. However, what impressed me the most about the tournament is how supportive all the community college coaches, athletes and athletic directors were to make this historic event happen. The California College Men’s Volleyball Coaches Association still has big plans to make the sport of men’s college beach volleyball grow. Most importantly, the athletes did a great job officiating their matches and dealing with conflicts. Respectfully dealing with conflicts is important life skill for college athletes to learn. This tournament had is all: competition, teamwork and life skills. The California Community College Men’s Volleyball Coaches Association will continue to dream big and the sky is the limit for men’s college beach volleyball.”
Along with San Diego City College and Orange Coast College, Long Beach City College finished in the third place and had a pair finish in the top five.
Irvine Valley College, Golden West College and El Camino College rounded-out the tournament standings.
“The first sand tournament for community college was a complete success,” Irvine Valley coach Ki Yi said in a statement. “My guys gave me nothing, but positive response and expressed how great the tournament was run. They are also excited to be able to play indoor and outdoor this year. It has made our practices way more productive because they look forward to playing both and the regular routine of indoor gets broken up with beach volleyball. Kevin Pratte, did a great job steering this event up. I look forward to what the future brings for men’s beach volleyball.”
With the success of this initial event, the coaches association announced it will host another college men’s beach volleyball tournament on Nov. 7.