High School Sand All-America Teams

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2014)　- The American Volleyball Coaches Association is excited to announce the inaugural AVCA High School Sand All-America Team. The team is comprised of four of the elite high school sand volleyball players from across the country. Three of the AVCA All-Americans come from the Golden Coast of California and one from the Sunshine State of Florida. Additionally, one AVCA Honorable Mention All-American is from the state of Texas. The awards committee is comprised of Cindy Phillips (Florida/East Coast), Steve Bishop (Florida), Scott Stover (Texas/Central), Jeff Smith (California/West Coast) and Gino Grajeda (California/West Coast).

2014 AVCA Sand All-America

2014 AVCA Sand Honorable Mention All-America

AVCA Sand High School All-America Team

Vanessa Freire is a senior from Windemere, Fla. She cemented her place as one of the top in the nation when she took home first place in the 2013 World Series of Beach Volleyball/FIVB Amateur High School Tournament in Long Beach, Calif. Over the last two years, she placed second in three different national and California tournaments including being a recipient of the Florida Region of USAV Highest Points Scorer Award in Girls for the most podium finishes in 2013. Freire has committed to play sand volleyball for the nationally-ranked Florida State University Seminoles.

“Vanessa is a tremendously dedicated student-athlete, and is always willing to go above and beyond what is expected of her,” said Beach Dig Club Coach Monyka Paul. “She comes to the sand every day with a vivacious and ambitious attitude and is committed to making herself and everyone that is around her the best they can be.”

Gianna Guinasso, is a senior from Huntington Beach, Calif. As one of the top sand players in Southern California, Guinasso certainly has the accolades to back it up. She won gold medals in the AAU Best of the Beach and the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships while winning the AAU Southern Pacific (California) District Championship. She also medaled in the AAU Pan Pacific Championships and the AAU Junior California Open (Regional). For her strong play, she was selected to represent the USA in the International Children’s Games (ICG). Guinasso will head to the University of Hawai’i to play for their nationally-ranked squad.

Josephine Kremer, is a senior from Pacific Palisades, Calif. Already a big name in the indoor game, Kremer has also established herself as one of the best on the sand. She completed her high school season undefeated on the beach while also playing at the Elite Beach Volleyball Club coached by legends Holly McPeak, Barbara Fontana and Eric Fonoimoana. It should come to no surprise she was selected to represent the club’s top team after finishing first in the San Diego Beach Volleyball Club Sand Combine, where she was also voted MVP. The California native also earned a gold medal at the 2014 AAU Beach Volleyball Elite Power League Pairs Tournament. Kremer will head east and play volleyball at the University of Notre Dame.

Julia Mannisto, is a senior from Westlake Village, Calif. Having committed to play volleyball at the University of South Carolina, she will look to duplicate her success at the collegiate level. Mannisto registered first place finishes at the CBVA AAA, AAU Junior Florida Open and the Junior Los Angeles Open. She was talented enough to train on the U19 A1 National Training Team. On the court, she was a four-year varsity starter, three-time Varsity MVP and holds the single-season team kills record (482) and career kills record (1,376).

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