Beach Volleyball Digest: Savvy Simo on the pod; huge Klinger feature; USA Volleyball's changes; more


February 16

USA's Overhaul

Good morning, beach volleyball fans,

Nothing is happening with Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher as far as USA Volleyball goes, BUT, Kristen did officially change her name to Kristen Cruz -- is there a better name than that for a defender? -- so I thought a congratulations was in order. Brasher and Cruz sounds like a name out of a Disney movie, the beach volleyball version of the Mighty Ducks' Conway and Banks. It just fits.

Anyway, onto the actual week in beach volleyball, which was a typically slow one in February. Which makes this week's podcast with Savvy Cory -- another name change! -- all that much more interesting, especially as she dove into the changes at USA Volleyball, and why she is actually "defecting" from the USA training group and doing it her own way.

Really, really insightful pod from Sav, which we'll get into more below.


The week in SANDCAST Studios

This week featured Tri Bourne bringing in our good friend and SANDCAST family member, Savvy Cory. Last week, Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh got into the complete overhaul -- in a good way -- we're seeing at USA Volleyball, and now Sav dropped some insight into the women's side.

Fun to see her excitement about this new phase of her career she's getting into, with new partner Devon Newberry. I recommend listening, watching, and reading the feature I wrote on Sav and this new chapter.


News Around the Beach

  • The ultimate 2026 beach volleyball calendar. We dropped every event you need to know, right here, and, when we knew this information, where to watch. Bookmark this page.
  • Star feature writer Graham Hays dropped a monster feature on the Klinger Sisters that is an absolute must-read. Worth your time.
  • Watch SANDCAST Episodes Early! Become a member of our YouTube Channel and you'll get every piece of content days or weeks or, now, months, even, before anybody else. We have A TON already scheduled, including this week's Fan Question pod, next week's pod with Confident Mind author Nate Zinsser, and a bunch more from the conversation with Doc Z.
  • Coming up on Wednesday we have our February Mailbag episode, with me, taking on all of your questions and doing the best I can before Austin comes hurtling down the stairs to play magnatiles. It's already up for our YouTube members to watch.

Much Love to the sponsors

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We're officially partnered with Better at Beach! If you want to get Better at Beach, use our code SANDCAST for 10 percent off all of their products, from online classes to in-person camps and more.

Appreciate y'all for listening, reading, and loving the beach like we do.

Have a great week!

SHOOTS!

SANDCAST Team

See you at the Beach!

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SANDCAST: Beach volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter

Beach Volleyball Digest is your weekly dose of all things volleyball, from features on the players, recaps of events, and previews of everything to come in the world of volleyball.

Read more from SANDCAST: Beach volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter

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