GULF SHORES, Ala. --- The Tusculum University women's beach volleyball team has been seeded 13th at this weekend's (Apr. 17-19) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Small College Beach Championships, taking place in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Championships is the largest collegiate beach volleyball event in the country with 37 teams competing in more than 500 total matches during the championship weekend. The event brings together the top beach teams in the country from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA. Team champions will be crowned in each of the three divisions, and there also is a Pairs Challenge event for participating teams.
Teams will be divided into four pools based on season results through Sunday, April 12. Pools A, B, and C will have five teams in each pool. Pool D will have four teams. Pools A, B, and C will play two pool matches on Friday and two pool matches on Saturday. The Pool D format will be two teams playing two matches on Friday and one match on Saturday. The other two teams in Pool D will play one match on Friday and two matches on Saturday. Teams in Pool A, B, and C will play four total pool matches. Teams in Pool D will play three total pool matches.
Championship bracket play will begin on Sunday. The four teams that finish first in each pool will play in the Gold bracket. The four teams finishing second in each pool will compete in the Silver bracket. Teams finishing third in each pool will play in the Bronze bracket. Teams finishing fourth in each pool will compete in the Copper bracket. The three teams that finish fifth in Pools A, B, and C will move to Pool E for consolation pool play Sunday. All teams will play two matches on Sunday. The Division II Champion will be the winner of the Gold bracket.
The Pioneers are seeded 13th and in Pool D with No. 4 Palm Beach Atlantic, No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville, and No. 12 Vanguard.
Tusculum will be using its primary conference tournament lineup. The top flight will be Hannah Marsh and Sofia Vega Barrantes, with Brynn Smith and Sylvia Liszewski taking the No. 2 slot. Jordyn Anderson and Solene Roussel will be the 3's and Cooper George and Dasha Nikolaeva are set as the No. 4 pair. Earning the final slot are Siri Aasgard and Ally Doty.
Additionally, Tusculum will be represented by Ryann Gallagher and Jordyn Kwalwasser in the Pairs Challenge. The duo is in Pool D and is grouped with pairings from Palm Beach Atlantic, Mobile, and Texas A&M-Texarkana. The Pairs Challenge is a one-day event, taking place solely on Friday, April 17, with matches scheduled at 12:15 PM and 4:35 PM (EDT).
