Volleyball holiday tournament slated for Saturday

The sixth annual Christmas Volleyball Tournament in Laguna Beach is Saturday at Main Beach.

The event celebrates friendly competition, a pot luck, music and gift-giving. The tournament is a four-person, weighted draw tournament with pool play to take place in two divisions, Open and Social. Sign-ups can be individually or by team, but beginning players are not eligible.

Tournament registration is free. The weighted draw tournament check-in is 8:30 a.m. and division play starts at 9 a.m.

Those taking part in the event are encouraged to bring a pot luck dish (covered dish for six or more). Tables, plates and cutlery, as well as electricity for crock pots, will be provided for the noon pot luck. Additionally, gifts for the “One Laguna” Toy Drive will be collected. Drop-off toys also will be accepted throughout the day.

In 2015, the following local beach volleyball tournament dates have been announced: Laguna Women’s Open, May 9; Laguna Men’s Open, June 6-7; Girls’ 16-and-Under Tournament, July 9; Girls’ 14-and-Under Tournament, July 10; King and Queen tournaments (October, TBA); Holiday 4-Man Tournament (December, TBA).

For more information and to register for the sixth annual Christmas Volleyball Tournament, or future tournament events, email kirkmorgan@cox.net.

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McConnell, Team USA to face Italy

The USA Water Polo Men’s Senior National Team, which includes Nolan McConnell of Laguna Beach, will return to action later this month for an exhibition match against the Italian Men’s National Team. The teams will meet at 2 p.m. on Dec. 28 at Newport Harbor High, 600 Irvine Ave, Newport Beach.

The exhibition game is the first for Team USA since its fourth-place finish at 2014 FINA World Cup. The Italian National Team is the 2012 Olympic silver medalists, and 2011 FINA world champion.

“This training and competition opportunity with Italy, one of the best teams in the world, will be great for our team,” USA Coach Dejan Udovicic said. “I am excited to have our team together as we continue to work on our goal of Olympic qualification.”

Tickets for the match are available at https://www.usawaterpolo.com.

USA Men’s National Team Roster (exhibition match vs. Italy)

Nolan McConnell (Laguna Beach/Long Beach St.); Bret Bonanni (Huntington Beach/Stanford); Tony Azevedo (Long Beach/Stanford); Jesse Smith (Coronado/Pepperdine); John Mann (Newport Beach/California); Janson Wigo (Ft. Lauderdale, FLA./Stanford); Josh Samuels (Villa Park/UCLA); Alex Bowen (Santee/Stanford); Alex Obert (Loomis, CA./Pacific); Conner Cleary (Goleta/Stanford); Jackson Kimbell (Long Beach/Stanford); Luca Cupido (Newport Beach/California); Anthony Daboub (Newport Beach/UCLA); Nikola Vavic (Palos Verdes/USC); McQuin Baron (North Tustin/USC); Drew Holland (Orinda/Stanford); Ben Hallock (Studio City/Harvard-Westlake).

— From staff reports