theo_brunner – Bumpspike.com

New Partnerships for 2026 AVP Season

November 15, 2025February 22, 2026 BumpSpike.comandy_benesh, betsi_flint, hailey_harward, kelly_cheng, miles_partain, taylor_crabb, terese_cannon, theo_brunner

Major moves set the stage for a wide-open AVP season. The 2026 AVP season begins with real disruption at the top of both the men and women fields. The breakup of the 2024 U.S. Olympic pairing of Andy Benesh and Miles Partain, Taylor Crabb aligning with Benesh, and Kelly Cheng partnering with Megan Kraft represent some of the most consequential partnership changes going into the 2026 AVP League season. These moves aren cosmetic. They reflect elite players reassessing fit, roles, and competitive direction after a revealing 2025 season. While every…

Miami Mayhem Shine in AVP League’s Second Stop

September 24, 2024March 9, 2025 BumpSpike.comandy_benesh, kelly_cheng, miles_partain, sara_hughes, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb

The Miami Mayhem emerged as the standout team during the second weekend of the groundbreaking AVP League, securing a 3-1 record at the Hard Rock Tennis Center in Miami Gardens, Florida. The venue, part of the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium complex, hosted a series of thrilling matches that showcased the league’s competitive depth and star power. Ross and Klineman Deliver Statement Win The most notable victory of the weekend came from April Ross and Alix Klineman, the Olympic gold medalists from Tokyo 2021. Competing as wild-card selections, the duo…

BPT Ostrava Preview – Last Chance Battles for Coveted Olympics Spots

June 4, 2024March 9, 2025 BumpSpike.com source: Volleyball Worldalex, anouk_verge_depre, chase_budinger, esmee_bobner, heather_bansley, joana_mader, sophie_bukovec, theo_brunner, zoe_verge_depre

After 17 months of globe-trotting and battling for Olympic spots, the race to qualify for the Paris 2024 Games through the FIVB Olympic Rankings is heating up and will finally come to a thrilling conclusion this week at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Ostrava Elite16. This is it—the final showdown! The Czech event will determine which 17 men’s and women’s teams will secure their Olympic berths, closing the longest and most fiercely competitive qualification period in history. The countdown to Paris is officially on, and the action kicks off…

AVP Tour Returns! Huntington Beach 2024 Preview

May 16, 2024March 9, 2025 BumpSpike.comandy_benesh, brandie_wilkerson, chase_budinger, kelly_cheng, kristen_nuss, melissa_humana_paredes, miles_evans, sara_hughes, taryn_kloth, theo_brunner, tri_bourne

The AVP Tour is back, and for the first time in history, the off-season has stretched to a full eight months. Eight months of training, strategizing, and preparing for a high-intensity, three-tournament sprint. This week, the action kicks off with the first Heritage Series event in Huntington Beach, California. A New Era: The AVP League This season, there’s more at stake than ever. With the introduction of the AVP League, the top 16 men’s and women’s players will have an extended season beyond the three Heritage events. Starting in the…

Brazil’s Andre Loyola and George Wanderley Reign Supreme at Saquarema Challenge

April 1, 2024April 3, 2024 BumpSpike.comandre_stein, chase_budinger, george_wanderley, jorge_alayo, noslen_diaz, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb, tri_bourne

Saquarema, Brazil — Despite a minor setback in Recife, Brazilian beach volleyball stalwarts Andre Loyola and George Wanderley proved their mettle once again by clinching gold at the Saquarema Challenge, cementing their status as the kings of the sand in their homeland. The duo’s ninth-place finish in Recife raised eyebrows, but it only fueled their determination to reclaim their dominance on home soil. With the Beach Pro Tour bypassing Itapema this year, where Loyola and Wanderley had previously dominated, all eyes were on them to deliver in Saquarema. Their journey…

Saquarema Beach Pro Tour: New Faces, Same Waves!

March 30, 2024April 3, 2024 BumpSpike.comaine_raupelyte, anastasija_samoilova, arthur_mariano, chen_xue, evandro_goncalves, heather_bansley, jorge_alayo, molly_mcbain, monika_paulikiene, noslen_diaz, sarah_pavan, sophie_bukovec, theo_brunner, tina_graudina, trevor_crabb, xinyi_xia

SAQUAREMA, Brazil — The sands of the Beach Pro Tour are shifting as the Saquarema Challenge rolls in, promising a fresh tide of competition. Familiar sights greet the attendees, from the scenic backdrop to the tantalizing flavors of acai and picanha. But amidst the comforting familiarity, notable absences mark this event. Last week’s champions, Arthur Mariano and Evandro Goncalves, have chosen to bask in the glory of their Recife triumph, leaving the field wide open for new contenders to stake their claim. The Latvian powerhouse duo, Tina Graudina and Anastasija…

2024 Olympics Ranking Update – March, 2024

March 27, 2024March 31, 2024 BumpSpike.comchaim_schalk, chase_budinger, heather_bansley, miles_evans, molly_mcbain, sarah_pavan, sophie_bukovec, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb, tri_bourne

The journey to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games commenced in fiery fashion back in February 2023, igniting the sands of Doha, Qatar, with the Volleyball World Elite16. Fast forward to last week, and the pulse-pounding action returned to Doha, signaling the onset of the 2024 season. With the grand finale set for the Ostrava Elite16 on June 9, the stage is primed for relentless battles as teams vie for coveted Olympic berths. The Recife Challenge witnessed a spectacular showdown, where underdogs seized the spotlight and thrust themselves into the Olympic…

Recife Preview – First Beach Pro Tour Challenge Event in a High Stakes Olympics Year

March 19, 2024April 3, 2024 BumpSpike.comaine_raupelyte, andre_stein, andy_benesh, anouk_verge_depre, chase_budinger, esmee_bobner, george_wanderley, karla_borger, miles_partain, monika_paulikiene, nina_brunner, sandra_ittlinger, tanja_huberli, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb, zoe_verge_depre

As the 2024 international beach volleyball season kicks into high gear, all eyes turn to Recife, Brazil, where the first Challenge event of the year is set to unfold from Thursday to Sunday. This tournament marks a pivotal moment for teams vying for coveted spots at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with valuable ranking points up for grabs. The Recife Challenge presents an opportunity for duos to make significant strides in the Olympic rankings, with 17 spots available in each gender until the June 9 deadline. While some top-ranked teams may…

USA makes a strong showing at the BPT Challenge Haikou

November 5, 2023April 3, 2024 BumpSpike.comchaim_schalk, chase_budinger, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb, tri_bourne

In a display of American dominance, Miles Evans and Chase Budinger clinched gold, while Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner secured silver at the Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Haikou, China. Evans and Budinger showcased their prowess, sealing victory in two sets with a commanding 21-14, 23-21 win in the final, reaffirming their status atop the men’s podium for the U.S. For Evans and Budinger, this triumph marked a return to the spotlight after their last medal at the 2023 BPT Challenge Saquarema, where they claimed silver. On the other…

Mid-July 2023 Olympic Rankings – Brazil’s Barbara and Carol Claim Summit, Portugal’s Historic Triumph

July 25, 2023March 31, 2024 BumpSpike.combarbara_seixas, betsi_flint, carol_solberg, chaim_schalk, chase_budinger, esmee_bobner, hailey_harward, hugo_campos, joao_pedrosa, julia_scoles, kelley_kolinske, miles_evans, sarah_sponcil, taylor_crabb, taylor_sander, terese_cannon, theo_brunner, trevor_crabb, tri_bourne, zoe_verge_depre

Brazil’s dynamic duo, Barbara and Carol, continue their stellar run, clinching their second consecutive gold medal at the Edmonton Challenge and cementing their position as the new leaders in the Olympic rankings. With three consecutive victories, including the South American Continental Championships, they now sit atop the rankings, leading Brazil’s dominance with three teams in the top four. Meanwhile, Portugal celebrates a historic triumph as Hugo Campos and Joao Pedrosa secured the nation’s first international gold medal in 24 years. Despite their remarkable achievement, they remain outside the top 24…