Brazil

AVP teams Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers and Jen Kessy and April Ross flew south to Vitoria, Brazil, last month to compete in the annual USA vs. Brazil FIVB pre-season exhibition, Rogers recounted on his blog (players earn the right to participate by winning their respective country’s king/queen of the beach tournament and can then select a partner of their choice for the exhibition).

It was a win-win for the United States as Dalhausser/Rogers defeated Pedro Salgado and Ricardo Santos in two sets and Kessy/Ross did the same to Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca.

The exhibition culminated with a four-on-four coed match, which Brazil won in three tight sets. Final score of the exhibition: 2-1, USA.

Reportedly more than 18 million people watched the four-on-four event on Brazilian network television.

Australia

Volleyball Australia (VA) proudly announced a major sponsorship agreement over the weekend with Queensland-based financial services group Lifestyle Asset Management (LAM) for the Australian Beach Volleyball Championships and National Series, the Hanson Media Group reported.

The tour will kick off with the Lifestyle Asset Management Australian Beach Championships March 11-14, when 32 teams per gender will converge on Sandstorm Beach Club in Brisbane, Queensland.

Olympic gold medalist Natalie Cook is primarily responsible for making LAM a partner with Volleyball Australia, according to VA CEO Joan Perry.

"It is as a result of the relationship built up with our four-time Olympian Natalie Cook, that we have been able to secure Lifestyle Asset Management as our major partner for the Australian Beach Championships and Beach Series,” Perry said. “Nat is synonymous with Beach Volleyball throughout Australia and the world, and will continue to be a major asset to our sport and our brand.”

NCAA Men’s Top 10

Upset of the week: No. 1 USC lost to 11th-ranked Pepperdine 33-31, 26-30, 27-30, 31-29, 15-10 at Firestone Fieldhouse Friday night, just a week after Pepperdine lost to UC San Diego for the first time in school history and subsequently dropped out of the top 10.

#1 Southern California (6-2, 4-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation)

Jan. 29: lost to #11 Pepperdine 2-3 (Away)

#2 Stanford (3-3, 3-3 MPSF)

Jan. 28: lost to #10 UC Santa Barbara 1-3 (Home)
Jan. 29: lost to #3 Cal State Northridge 2-3 (Home)

#3 Cal State Northridge (8-1, 5-1 MPSF)

Jan. 29: def. #2 Stanford 3-2 (Away)
Jan. 30: def. Pacific 3-0 (Away)

#4 BYU (6-3, 4-2 MPSF)

Jan. 29: lost to #6 UCLA 0-3 (Away)
Jan. 30: def. #6 UCLA 3-2 (Away)

#5 Penn State (6-2, 3-0 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association)

Jan. 26: def. Juniata 3-0 (Home)
Jan. 29: def. #14 Lewis 3-1 (Away)
Jan. 30: lost to Loyola-Chicago 2-3 (Away)

#6 UCLA (4-5, 3-3 MPSF)

Jan. 29: def. #4 BYU 3-0 (Home)
Jan. 30: lost to #4 BYU 2-3 (Home)

#7 UC Irvine (5-6, 1-5 MPSF)

Jan. 26: def. Princeton 3-0 (Home)
Jan. 29: lost to #9 Hawai'i 2-3 (Away)
Jan. 30: lost to #9 Hawai'i 2-3 (Away)

#8 Long Beach State (4-4, 3-2 MPSF)

Jan. 29: def. #12 UC San Diego 3-0 (Home)

#9 Hawai'i (6-3, 4-2 MPSF)

Jan. 29: def. #7 UC Irvine 3-2 (Home)
Jan. 30: def. #7 UC Irvine 3-2 (Home)

#10 UC Santa Barbara (4-5, 4-2 MPSF)

Jan. 28: def. #2 Stanford 3-1 (Away)
Jan. 29: def. Pacific 3-0 (Away)

AVP.com January Poll Results

Last month’s poll asked fans which player was poised to make the biggest improvement in 2010: Claire D’Amore, Rosalinda Masler, Mike Placek, or Mark Van Zwieten. Masler edged D’Amore, 51 percent to 45 percent, as the women claimed an overwhelming majority of the votes. Van Zwieten received three percent of votes, with Placek garnering one percent.

This month’s poll on the AVP.com homepage: which new team are you most excited to watch in 2010?