Pro volleyball returns to Chicago
The 2007 Crocs Tour is in full swing. Bare feet are the equipment of choice for the pro beach volleyball circuit's annual stop today through Sunday at North Avenue Beach.
The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Chicago Open begins with men's and women's qualifier matches at 8 a.m. today. That'll produce 64 teams for main draw action.
Main draw competition starts at 9 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday with the men's finals at 3 p.m. Saturday. Women's finals are 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10, $20 and $40.
Here are five facts about the Chicago Open:
1. The money: The purse is $280,000. Last year's winners (men's team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger and the women's team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh) each bagged $25,000. This year it's $28,000.
2. Local talent: On the list of men's qualification entries is Dan Buehring, a Naperville Central grad, and partner Andrei Zavoichinski. Seeded No. 42 prior to today's single-elimination matches, the duo have one 2007 AVP Tour competition under their belts with a 29th-place finish. Hoping to reach the main draw on the female side are the Naperville sister combo of Cayley and Chelsea Thurlby. Cayley, a 2002 Naperville Central grad played at the University of Hawaii. Joining Chelsea, a junior libero at Naperville Central, they will make their AVP debut at Chicago.
3. The legend: Karch Kiraly, with 148 U.S. titles and overall winnings of $3.1 million, is the biggest name in men's volleyball history. At 46, the three-time Olympic gold medalist is in his final pro season, but he will not compete here. Instead, he'll work for NBC in the finals.
4. Bears connection: Logan Tom is the daughter of former Bears and Eagles defensive end Mel Tom, who died last year at age 64. The 2006 AVP rookie of the year, Tom is tied for seventh on the Crocs Cup standings with playing partner Holly McPeak, though her Internet "fan site" reports Tom's new partner is Dianne DeNecochea.
5. Defending the crown: In a telephone interview Wednesday, Mike Lambert said he and Stein Metzger are enjoying their second season as playing partners. "We both play with a lot of passion and fire," said Lambert. Ranked third in men's standings entering the Chicago Open, Lambert and Metzger won't have to deal with the top-rated duo of Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers. They are in Austria on the international tour. The No. 2 duo of Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal also won't be here. "The majority of the teams, they're kind of thinking 'this is our chance to finally win a tournament because those guys aren't here," Lambert said. "We've won two of our last three events and have been in three of the last four finals, so we're coming here expecting to do really well."