The 2024 Olympic Games running Friday, July 26 through Sunday, Aug. 11, will feature beach volleyball. When it comes to Team USA, four men and four women will participate in the Olympics, split into two teams. The women will be represented by the duos of Taryn Kloth-Kristen Nuss and Kelly Cheng-Sara Hughes while the men will be represented by Andy Benesh-Miles Partain and Chase Budinger-Miles Evans.
Let’s look back at the college careers of the US beach volleyball team.
Women
Taryn Kloth | LSU
Taryn Kloth played two years of beach volleyball at LSU and four years of indoor volleyball at Creighton. Indoors, she won Big East Championship MVP in 2017 and led Creighton to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2016. While at LSU, Kloth went 36-0 in 2021 winning AVCA Pair of the Year and All-American honors in beach volleyball.
Kristen Nuss | LSU
Nuss was Kloth’s pair at LSU, but Nuss spent her entire career with the Tigers. During her sophomore season, Nuss and Claire Coppola became the first pair in LSU history to be named All-Americans. By 2020, Nuss and Coppola became the third pair in NCAA history to reach the 100-win mark. After her super senior season she finished with 136 career victories, making her college beach volleyball’s all-time winningest player.
Kelly Cheng | Southern California
Kelly Cheng was a three-time All-American at Southern California, finishing with a 147-4 record alongside Sara Hughes. Cheng also won the first two NCAA beach volleyball titles ever in 2016 and 2017, going undefeated as a pair during her junior season, losing only one set.
Sara Hughes | Southern California
Sara Hughes was a four-time All-American at Southern California. Hughes finished with a 147-4 record alongside Kelly Cheng, winning the first two NCAA beach volleyball titles ever in 2016 and 2017, going undefeated as a pair during her junior season, losing only one set. Prior to NCAA volleyball, Hughes went 86-7 in her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Men
Andy Benesh | Southern California
Andy Benesh played volleyball at Southern California from 2014-17, finishing with 658 kills (hitting .415), 346 blocks, 191 digs and 43 aces across 99 matches. In 2015, he earned All-American honorable mention honors and in 2014 he was named a freshman All-American.
Miles Partain | UCLA
Miles Partain is the youngest US beach volleyball player in Olympic history at 22 years old. He played at UCLA from 2021-23, leading the nation with a .373 hitting percentage as a sophomore. In 2022, he helped the Bruins reach the NCAA semifinals and won MPSF Player of the year after landin 1,040 assits.
Chase Budinger | Arizona
Chase Budinger played college basketball at Arizona before becoming the No. 44 overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA draft. Budinger played in the NBA from 2009-16 and played overseas in 2016-17. Budinger retired from basketball in 2017 and made his pro volleyball debut in 2018.
Miles Evans | UC Santa Barbara
Miles Evans played volleyball at UC Santa Barbara for two years before pursuing a pro beach volleyball career. While at UCSB, Evans racked up 514 kills, leading the team his junior season with 325, and 261 digs. He was also efficient as a front row defender, accumulating 95 blocks as an outside hitter.