U-Con star to play again in Marianas Cup

U.S. pro Jenelle Koester will return for the upcoming 17th Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival slated from March 6 to 8 at the Pacific Islands Club sand courts.

Kanae Quinn, who is in charge of the event’s marketing and media, said the 31-year-old Koester is one of the professional beach volleyball players who have already signified their intention to participate in the longest-running beach volleyball tournament in Micronesia.

Japanese and Korean pros have also sent feelers of their eagerness to join this year’s event.

Koester, along with partner Kelley Butcher, finished fourth last year behind eventual champion Yoko Miki and Chie Iwana of Japan, second place pair of Federica Tonon of Italy and Dawn Penebaker of Hawaii, and third place partners Jennifer Snyder and Mili Saiki.

Koester and Snyder will be joined by fellow returnees led by men’s co-champion Paul Baxter and Phil Dalhausser, who was a co-winner fir the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Koester is a hard-hitting pro and star player at University of Connecticut, where she is taking up her degree in Human Development-Services and Counseling.

The six-foot Koester booked a record 18 kills with no errors in 21 attempts in the NCAA.

She was named to three all-Big East teams, and in 1998 was also an AVCA all-district choice. She remained as the team’s career leader in kills, and is in the top 10 in digs, blocks, aces, and hitting percentage.

Koester teamed up with Denise Johns to win the 2003 AVP Next National Championships, earning berths in four main draws in 2004. Following her consistent finishes, she had to play in just one qualifying tournament after that point in 2005.

Koester along with the other pros will be conducting beach volleyball clinic for the kids on March 14.

There will also be an exhibition match among the U.S., Japan, and Korean professionals, which would be opened to the public at the PIC beach volleyball courts on March 6.

This side event will start at 5pm.

Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association expresses appreciation to the sponsors that include Aon Insurance, Aqua Resort Club, Chong’s Corporation, Delta Management Corporation, Glooay Mai Thai Spa, Gregg Elliott Artworks, Hertz, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Apparel, IT&E, KSPN2, LISS, Marianas Eye Institute, Mariana Resort & Spa, Marianas Trekking, MVA, Microl Corporation, No Ka Oi, NWA, PDI, Pacific Eagle Enterprises, PIC Guam, PIC Saipan, PTC, Saipan Grand Hotel, Seafix Inc., Shell Marianas, Star Sands Plaza, Stars & Stripes, Law Offices of Stephen J. Nutting, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Topnotch, Traders Insurance, Triple J Wholesale, and WDI Saipan (Tony Roma’s & Capricciosa’s).