HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. --- The College of Charleston beach volleyball team will be well represented at this year's USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Championships, with the duos of
McKala Rhodes (Charleston, S.C.)/
Devon Rachel (Louisville, Ky.) and
Lauren Freed (Troy, Ohio)/
Logan Manusky (San Diego, Calif.) each earned an automatic bid into the main draw of the four-day tournament in Hermosa Beach, Calif. on May 8-11.
"I am excited for both pairs," head coach
Jason Kepner said. "They have each had great seasons and have put in a ton of work this year. Having two pairs in the top 24 in the country shows how far our program has come. I am looking forward to watching our team compete against some of the best teams from across the country this week."
The championship field will consist of 32 teams, with 24 seeded pairs in the main draw being joined by eight pairs from a single elimination qualifier on Wednesday. Rhodes and Rachel are the No. 8 seed, with Freed and Manusky seeded 24
th.
Rhodes and Rachel put together a record-setting season with 22 dual wins as the Cougars' No. 2 pairing. The duo was one of three CofC pairs to be named in the AVCA's Top Flight class, and owned the best record (22-2) at two's in the nation.
Freed and Manusky will partner together for the first time this season as the No. 24 overall seed. Manusky partnered with senior
Allison Beckman (Apex, N.C.) for a 17-6 record this season, while Freed teamed with senior
Kennedy Madison (Evansville, Ind.) for an 18-6 mark at one's.
Rhodes and Rachel are the top seeded pair in Pool H, and will play a team from the qualifier to begin pool play on Thursday. Freed and Manusky are the third seed in Pool H, and will face the No. 9 seed, Jaelyn Keene and Tressa Buckland of UAB, at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday to begin pool play. The winners of those two matches will play each other, with the losers of each contest also squaring off to conclude pool play.
The first-place team in each pool will receive a bye into the round of 16, while second and third will play later that afternoon with a berth into the round of 16 on the line. Play will continue on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 with the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. The championship match will air live on NBC on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. PT.
