The idea of playing beach volleyball in the dead of winter may seem like a novel idea, however, it is not the only unique aspect that fans can expect to see as part of the AVP Johnsonville Hot Winter Nights Indoor Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. The round robin format of the tour separates athletes from their normal teams seen during the summer, and in many cases puts long standing partners on opposing sides of the net.

While the entire schedule of athletes has yet to be finalized, some early confirmations are already setting the scene for what should be some very interesting match-ups.

The Hot Winter Nights Tour wastes no time getting off to an exciting start, as week one showcases some of the AVP's top talent. The women's side will feature AVP Tour veterans, Annett Davis, Jenny Johnson-Jordan, Katie Lindquist, and Holly McPeak.

Annett and Jenny have been partners on the outdoor tour for many years, and for the first time will face each other on opposing sides of the net at a Hot Winter Nights event. McPeak captured one indoor title in 2008 and will provide tough competition going into the 2009 season.

Fans attending stops on week two of the tour are in for a treat, as Olympic Gold Medalists, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will be playing. This will mark Dalhausser's Hot Winter Nights Tour debut, while Rogers will continue to build on his experience from last year's indoor tour. While the "Thin Beast" and "The Professor" are always a fan favorite when playing together as a team, the most exciting matchup may come when the two take to opposite sides of the net. In a rare occurrence, the Olympic champions will compete against each other to determine the best of the beach each night. Also confirmed to appear during week two will be Hot Winter Nights Tour veterans Casey Jennings and 2008 Olympian, Elaine Youngs.

Fans wanting to catch a night full of Olympic athletes should make their way to the Pacific Northwest for week five. The men's side will see Rogers alongside fellow Olympians Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. Rogers, who is looking for his first Hot Winter Nights title, will face tough competition against a group that is quite familiar with success on the indoor tour. Rosenthal is looking to add to the three titles he won on last year's tour, while Gibb will return to his home state of Utah hoping to expand upon the three wins he had in 2008. The men's field will be rounded out with the always entertaining and energetic Casey Jennings, who also won three Hot Winter Nights titles last year.

There will be no shortage of exciting competition on the women's side, as 2008 Most Improved Player, Nicole Branagh is among those scheduled to play. Branagh is coming off of a successful 2008 season, which included two AVP Crocs Tour titles and two international titles, in addition to her Olympic debut and fifth place finish in Beijing with partner Elaine Youngs. Having captured one Hot Winter Nights title in 2008, Branagh is no stranger to the indoor tour and is sure to be on the hunt for another title in 2009.

Also set to compete on the women's side in week five will be the AVP Crocs Tour team of Jenn Boss and April Ross. The duo has seen great success in 2008, as they narrowly missed Olympic qualification and recently captured two international titles in Thailand and China. When it comes to round-robin format, both Boss and Ross have proven to be tough to beat individually. Boss took home one Hot Winter Night title in 2008 and captured her first AVP Crocs Tour title at this year's Best of the Beach competition in Glendale. Ross has also seen great success on her own, as she won four of the six Hot Winter Nights events she attended in 2008.

The Hot Winter Nights Tour will wrap up with two of the AVP's toughest competitors during week six, as Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs will take to the sand during the final three stops of the tour. In 2004, McPeak and Youngs partnered at the Olympic Games in Athens, where they went on to win the Bronze medal. Considered to be among the best in the sport, McPeak and Youngs will undoubtedly bring the 2009 AVP Johnsonville Hot Winter Nights Tour to an exciting close.

While the entire schedule of athletes waits to be confirmed, one thing that fans can be certain of is that the AVP is gearing up to bring the country an exciting winter in 2009. Stay tuned for the latest updates as the schedule of athletes becomes finalized.

The AVP Johnsonville Hot Winter Nights Tour takes place in January and February of 2009. For a complete 2009 AVP Johnsonville Hot Winter Nights Tour schedule and ticket information, please click here.