Team Pineapple-Smack Wins Silver at USAV Nationals

The Open Division of the 2017 USAV Open National Championships came to a close yesterday with Team Pineapple – Smack winning silver. The crew finished with a 6-2 record and a silver medal after falling to SoCal Avalanche in the gold-medal match (25-20, 25-22, 26-24).

The USA Volleyball Open National Championships are one of the most anticipated adult volleyball events of the year. With 464 teams and nearly 5,000 athletes, the event is also one of the largest national championship events of any sport in the US. This year, the Minneapolis tournament marked the 88th running of the event. 

Team Pineapple – Smack was the two-time defending National Champion, winning the title in both 2015 and 2016. The 2017 team was “younger” than in years past, as veterans like Ptak, Robbins, Gisslen, and Ball stepped down and allowed youngsters like Matos, Omar Riveria, Dryden, Bertram, and Sellan to take the helm. Don’t worry–Lloy Ball and Will Robbins still acted as coaches for the talented group.  

Meanwhile, four-time Olympian Lloy Ball competed in the 45’s Division on the juggernaut team, Team Pineapple/Balboa Bay. Lloy has been competing at the Opens since retiring from the U.S. Men’s National Team – first in the Open Division, then the Premier Volleyball League and now in the master’s age group divisions. Lloy won the Most Valuable Player in the division, and the team won gold without dropping a single set.

Lloy also played the last three days with the world famous team, Jim Beam 40’s, in the 40’s Division. In between playing and winning his own awards, Lloy found time to give back to the volleyball community by handing out medals to the Special Olympics champions.

 

Smack Sportswear is committed to being the leading brand and service provider for indoor and sand volleyball markets around the world. We are proud to sponsor Team Pineapple-Smack, providing high performance volleyball apparel to this group of talented athletes. Many of Smack’s garments are inspired, designed, and tested Olympians and top pros, and this year was no different. In Minneapolis, Team Pineapple wore our new 2017 custom sublimated volleyball jerseys and apparel–including a new red jersey.

 

Here’s a Medal Recap of the 2017 Tournament:

Men’s Open: Gold – SoCal Avalanche (Southern California); Silver – Team Pineapple (Hoosier); Bronze – Volleyball Academy America (Northern California)
Men’s AA: Gold – Legion (Southern California); Silver – Southside Bangers (Great Lakes); Bronze – Luau Chicago (Great Lakes)
Men’s A: Gold – Team Core (Badger); Silver – Team Bear Claw (Iowa); Bronze – NFVB Crank Blasters (Western Empire)
Men’s 45s: Gold – Balboa Bay 45 (Southern California); Silver – Fog Canada 45 Men (Canada); Bronze – Pro Combat/Botafogo (Brazil)
Men’s 55s: Gold – Kings Mountain Fog 55 (Northern California); Silver – Western States Laguna (Southern California); Bronze – Fog Canada 55s (Canada)
Men’s 65s: Gold – Sao Paulo Masters 65M (Brazil); Silver – Kings Mountain Fog 65 (Northern California); Bronze – Quiksilver Legends 65 (Southern California)
Men’s 73s: Gold – Rustys 73 (Columbia Empire); Silver – Outback Steakhouse 73 (Puget Sound); Bronze – TeamSota (North Country)
Men’s 78s: Gold – MAC Magic 78 (Chesapeake); Silver – Highlanders 79 (Rocky Mountain); Bronze – Rusty 78 (Columbia Empire)
Women’s Open: Gold – Hoosier Exterminators (Hoosier); Silver – Team Iowa Ice (Iowa); Bronze – Team GEVA (Garden Empire)
Women’s AA: Gold – CU ‘Olden Bears (North Country); Silver – Blue Ballers (North Texas); Bronze – Angry Beavers (Rocky Mountain)
Women’s A: Gold – Team Bison (North Country); Silver – Spank (Badger); Bronze – Foxy Ladies (Gateway)
Women’s 40s: Gold – Fog Canada Masters 40 (Canada); Silver – Winnipeg Fog (Canada); Bronze – San Diego Beaches (Southern California)
Women’s 50s: Gold – Panama Jack San Diego (Southern California); Silver – Fog Canada Masters 50 (Canada); Bronze – B.A.D. (Northern California)
Women’s 60s: Gold – Brasil Mix-60 (Brazil); Silver – WWConnect-60 (Rocky Mountain); Bronze – BLT (Northern California)
Sitting Division: Gold – The Eh Team (Canada); Silver – Florida All-Stars (Florida); Bronze – Nebraska High Rollers (Great Plains)

 

Smack Sportswear would like to congratulate all teams that participated in the 2017 USAV Open National Championships and wore our new line of sublimated volleyball jerseys and apparel. Smack had fun crafting the designs to represent these high-level teams and athletes. See you next year! 

Source: Original Smack Sportswear Blog