Brasher & Cruz Make Volleyball History

Two-time defending champions Taryn Brasher and Kristen Cruz made AVP history Sunday by three-peating at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open.

The 2024 U.S. Olympians and top-ranked women’s pro beach volleyball team in the world became the first duo to capture three consecutive AVP Manhattan Beach Opens since Californians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings accomplished the feat by winning four straight from 2005-08.

Brasher and Cruz dominated the competition, sweeping all six of their opponents and winning each of the 12 sets by an average of 4.7 points.

The dynamic duo from Louisiana State University opened Sunday by dispatching Maddie Anderson and Alaina Chacon 21-18 and 21-15 in the semis. Brasher and Cruz then capped the monumental weekend by dispatching of Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft 21-18 and 21-16.

Misty May-Treanor played indoor volleyball at Long Beach State from 1995–1999. She captained the 1998 team to a perfect 36–0 season and the NCAA national championship and was NCAA/AVCA Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998.

Kerri Walsh Jennings played her college volleyball at Stanford. She was a four-time All-American and helped Stanford win NCAA championships in 1996 and 1997.

They became partners after college, eventually winning three consecutive Olympic beach volleyball gold medals together – in 2004, 2008 and 2012.