Marcio Sicoli and Jose Loiola has been named as the U.S. head coaches for the 2017 FIVB Beach U21 World Championships. They’ll lead their teams to Nanjing China from June 13th-18th to face off against the best U21 beach players in the world. The U.S. Trials will be held from December 20th-23rd, 2016 in Chula Vista, California for athletes born in 1997 or later.
Sicoli is currently the assistant coach of beach volleyball at Pepperdine University. More famously, he’s known as the Olympic coaches for the 2016 bronze medalists April Ross and Kerri Walsh-Jennings and previously a gold-medal run with Walsh-Jennings and Misty-May Treanor in 2012. Sicoli, who comes from the beach volleyball mecca of Brazil, has spent all four seasons of Pepperdine’s beach existence as an assistant. Prior to that, he was an assistant with their indoor team for 6 years. Prior to coming to the United States, he
“I am excited to be part of the youth development led by Megan Burgdorf [USAV’s Manager of High Performance], who is revamping the youth pipeline,” said Sicoli. “I look forward to being a part of the big change concepts.”
His expertise also helped his native Brazil from 2000-04, coaching his first beach team at the Olympics, that time leading Shelda Bede/Adriana Behar to silver.
“Based on my experience with top teams, I am looking forward to bringing that and the support of scientific data to grow the sport at the youth level and put us on the same level we have been on in the past,” Sicoli continued. “The Tokyo Olympics are around the corner and the quad development process has already started. I’m also looking forward to 2024 and hopefully having the Olympics here in our backyard and this is a great start to that development.”
Loiola is also a Brazilian and has most recently been the coach of Jennifer Kessy and Emily Day during the 2015-2016 FIVB World Tour. The two ranked 20th in the world in 2015 and 30th in 2016. Loiola is also a former player, having himselfed finished 9th at the 2000 Olympic Games on the beach.
The Americans came away with no medals at the last U21 World Championships, with Sarah Sponcil and Torrey van Windern being the highest finishers at 4th.
Past Under 21 World Championship USA finishes
2016 – M 25th, 27th; W 4th, 17th
2014 – M 9th, 25th; W 3rd (Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes), 9th
2013 – M 9th, 41st; W 9th, 25th
2012 – M 5th, 9th; W 4th, 17th
2011 – M 9th, 19th; W 5th, 25th
2010 – M 5th, 5th; W 1st (Summer Ross/Tara Roenicke), 29th
2009 – M 19th, 25th; W 5th, 29th
2008 – M 9th, 29th; W 9th, 29th
2007 – M 5th, 29th
2006 – M 9th
2005 – M 19th, 29th; W 17th
2004 – M 19th, W 17th
2003 – M 19th; W 9th
2002 – M 9th; W 5th
2001 – M 5th; W 9th
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