Matt Fuerbringer

Matt Fuerbringer has a bachelor's degree in American studies from Stanford, but his postgraduate work in professional volleyball has allowed him to explore the rest of the world. Fuerbringer, a 6-foot-7 outside hitter and former four-time All-American at Stanford, is playing his second season for Bayern Werk of the Austrian Indoor Pro League. After being cut from the U.S. National team earlier this year, Fuerbringer, healthy now following right shoulder surgery two years ago, decided to join the pro beach tour and, on July 11, finished 13th at the Muskegon, Mich.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh cruised through the first day of competition at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals season opener Friday in Miami. May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor alum, and Walsh beat Brooke Langston and Julie Romias, 21-14, 21-11. Jake Gibb of Costa Mesa and Sean Rosenthal defeated Russ Marchewka of Costa Mesa and Mike Placek, 21-15, 21-13. Marchewka and Placek will continue playing in the losers’ bracker today. Estancia grad Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings defeated Joe Cash and Justin Phipps 21-12, 21-13.

Ross seeks bronze April Ross, a former Newport Harbor High standout, and Jen Kessy will play for the bronze medal at the FIVB Tour event in Brasilia, Brazil. Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil defeated Ross and Kessy, 21-14, 23-21, in the semifinals Friday. It was a rematch of last year’s world championships final that Ross and Kessy won. The American duo will play against Maria Clara and Carol Salgado of Brazil. On the men’s side, Jake Gibb, a Costa Mesa resident, and Sean Rosenthal of Corona del Mar finished ninth after losing to Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.

Former Newport Harbor High volleyball star April Ross and partner Jen Kessy lost to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the women’s final of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals season-opening tournament Sunday in Panama City, Fla. Ross and Kessy fell, 16-21, 21-18, 15-9, to Youngs and Branagh, who are staking their claim to the women’s division, which is without Newport Harbor High product Misty May (Achilles’ surgery) and Kerri Walsh (maternity) this season.

SAN FRANCISCO — Former Newport Harbor High star April Ross teamed with partner Jen Kessy to claim the duo’s third Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament title this season by winning the San Francisco Open on Sunday. Ross and Kessy, the No. 2-seeded team, defeated top-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 16-21, 21-19, 15-12, in an 80-minute final. Ross and Kessy split $24,000, adding to previous AVP wins this season in New Jersey and Houston. Ross had 15 kills and four aces in the finals, managing seven kills and two aces in the decisive third set. In the men’s tournament, Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Corona del Mar resident Sean Rosenthal finished tied for third, after losing to top-seeded and eventual champion Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, 13-21, 21-15, 15-13, in a 61-minute semifinal.

Patrick Laverty It was printed more than 12 years ago, but Matt Fuerbringer recalled it almost word-for-word. Fuerbringer wasn't about to let a recent interview end without bringing up what the Daily Pilot wrote about him when he was a junior at Estancia High, playing for the Eagles' 1991 state championship basketball team. "Spindly Estancia High junior Matt Fuerbringer will probably never be King of the Beach. Lord of the Lane, maybe, but never King of the Beach," a profile of Fuerbringer written on March 14, 1991 said.

Dec. 24-30 The senior trio of Danny Pulido, Josiah Fredriksen and Joe Urban, whose three-year varsity football tenure at Newport Harbor High include 30 victories, two trips to a CIF Southern Section title game, one section and one league championship, earn top honors on the Daily Pilot's All-Newport-Mesa District team. Pulido, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound starting receiver and outside linebacker, is the Most Valuable Player. Fredriksen, who throws for 2,142 yards and 29 touchdowns, is Offensive Player of the Year, while Urban, a middle linebacker who leads the Tars in tackles with more than 100, is the Defensive Player of the Year.

Newport Beach resident Donald Sun has bought the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals beach tour and vowed to restore it to a schedule that included as many as 31 events in 2008, the Los Angeles Times has reported. Sun, 37, a graduate of University High in Irvine and UCLA, said he paid $2 million to buy the AVP from its former owner, and plans to shift its headquarters to Newport Beach. "I'm not a volleyball guru, but I understand the enthusiasm people have for volleyball," said Sun, a former executive at the Fountain Valley-based Kingston Technology Co., whose new title is managing partner and owner of the AOS Group.

Newport Beach resident Donald Sun has bought the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals beach tour and vowed to restore it to a schedule that included as many as 31 events in 2008, the Los Angeles Times has reported. Sun, 37, a graduate of University High in Irvine and UCLA, said he paid $2 million to buy the AVP from its former owner, and plans to shift its headquarters to Newport Beach. "I'm not a volleyball guru, but I understand the enthusiasm people have for volleyball," said Sun, a former executive at the Fountain Valley-based Kingston Technology Co., whose new title is managing partner and owner of the AOS Group.

Former Newport Harbor High stars Misty May-Treanor and April Ross collided in the women's quarterfinals of the $1 million Federation International de Volleyball Beach Volleyball Swatch World Championships on Friday at Foro Italico Sports Complex in Rome, Italy. May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh outlasted Ross and Jennifer Kessy, the defending event champions, 21-18, 18-21, 15-10, in a 46-minute match. May-Treanor had 18 kills, 11 digs and one ace serve, while Ross had 15 kills, eight digs and one ace. May-Treanor and Walsh are two-time Olympic gold medal winners who are now 7-0 against Ross-Kessy in FIVB matches.

UC Irvine ace Matt Summers, the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year, added another honor to his impressive season as he was was named a Baseball America third-team All-American. Summers went undefeated in the Big West, compiling an 8-0 record and finished his year with an 11-4 mark. The right-handed pitcher helped UCI reach a NCAA Super Regional at the University of Virgina. It was UCI's second super regional appearance. The Anteaters also have seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

Ross seeks bronze April Ross, a former Newport Harbor High standout, and Jen Kessy will play for the bronze medal at the FIVB Tour event in Brasilia, Brazil. Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil defeated Ross and Kessy, 21-14, 23-21, in the semifinals Friday. It was a rematch of last year’s world championships final that Ross and Kessy won. The American duo will play against Maria Clara and Carol Salgado of Brazil. On the men’s side, Jake Gibb, a Costa Mesa resident, and Sean Rosenthal of Corona del Mar finished ninth after losing to Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.

SAN FRANCISCO — Former Newport Harbor High star April Ross teamed with partner Jen Kessy to claim the duo’s third Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament title this season by winning the San Francisco Open on Sunday. Ross and Kessy, the No. 2-seeded team, defeated top-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 16-21, 21-19, 15-12, in an 80-minute final. Ross and Kessy split $24,000, adding to previous AVP wins this season in New Jersey and Houston. Ross had 15 kills and four aces in the finals, managing seven kills and two aces in the decisive third set. In the men’s tournament, Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Corona del Mar resident Sean Rosenthal finished tied for third, after losing to top-seeded and eventual champion Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, 13-21, 21-15, 15-13, in a 61-minute semifinal.

For at least once a year, the spotlight belongs to Matt Fuerbringer. He ends up on the victory stand, amid cameras flashing and a winner’s check in hand. But on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Tour it has yet to come this year. The former Estancia High standout and his teammate Casey Jennings believe their time could be this weekend at the Hermosa Beach Open. The No. 7-seeded team want to break through and win on the tour’s last Southern California stop of the season.

Former Newport Harbor High volleyball star April Ross and partner Jen Kessy lost to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the women’s final of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals season-opening tournament Sunday in Panama City, Fla. Ross and Kessy fell, 16-21, 21-18, 15-9, to Youngs and Branagh, who are staking their claim to the women’s division, which is without Newport Harbor High product Misty May (Achilles’ surgery) and Kerri Walsh (maternity) this season.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh cruised through the first day of competition at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals season opener Friday in Miami. May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor alum, and Walsh beat Brooke Langston and Julie Romias, 21-14, 21-11. Jake Gibb of Costa Mesa and Sean Rosenthal defeated Russ Marchewka of Costa Mesa and Mike Placek, 21-15, 21-13. Marchewka and Placek will continue playing in the losers’ bracker today. Estancia grad Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings defeated Joe Cash and Justin Phipps 21-12, 21-13.