May 3, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – USA Volleyball announced selections for its Collegiate Beach Championship tournament Wednesday afternoon, and two pairs from the South Carolina program got the call as participants in the field of 24 women’s pairs.

Making the exclusive field for the Gamecocks are Adrianna Culbert and Katie Smith, and Macie Tendrich and Katie Zimmerman. They will enter a tournament out in Hermosa Beach, Calif. that runs from May 11-13, with the winning pair earning a spot on the Collegiate National Team. Seeding will be determined the night before the first day of competition.

The pairs are made up of US-born college student-athletes. South Carolina is one of six schools with more than one duo participating in the tournament. The women’s final will air live on NBCSN, May 13, 6 p.m. ET.

Adrianna Culbert and Katie Smith have put together a 12-4 record as the team’s number one pair. Individually, Culbert has a 23-9 overall record, splitting time between the top two spots in the lineup. Smith, a member of the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association’s All-Freshman team, is 21-11 for the season with 17 of those victories coming out of the top position. She also leads the team in kills and digs.

Tendrich and Zimmerman are already the most successful pair in program history, winning 39 matches together over the last two seasons. Tendrich also owns the program’s record for career and single-season wins as an individual after going 27-5 between the threes and fours. Zimmerman stands at 49 career wins after just two seasons, and the graduate student is 23-9 so far in 2017. Despite being one of the team’s top hitters and blockers, Katie also leads the team in assists this year.

Before they head west, the two pairs will first try to help the No. 10 Gamecocks compete at the NCAA championship in Gulf Shores, Ala. this week. The team earned its first-ever bid to the eight-team tournament, and will face No. 1 Southern California on Friday, May 5 at 9 a.m. CT.