CBVA to honor Olympians Todd Rogers, Jennifer Kessey
Jen Kessey hits past the block of fellow Olympic medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings during the 2013 Manhattan Beach Open quarterfinal match. Kessey and partner April Ross finished fourth. Walsh and partner Whitney Pavlik finished first. Photo
Todd Rogers plays defense during the finals of the 2014 Manhattan Beach Open. He and partner Theo Bunner lost to his former partner Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal. Photo
Olympic gold medalist Todd Rogers (Beijing, 2008) and Olympic silver medalist Jen Kessey (London, 2012) will be inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Hermosa Beach Community Center.
Rogers won 65 tournaments, the third most of all players, with partner Phil Dalhausser. Rogers’ nickname was “The Professor” because of his court intelligence. He played high school volleyball at San Marcos and college volleyball at UC Santa Barbara.
Kessey won over 30 professional tournaments, most with fellow USC Trojan April Ross in an era that included Olympic Gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor. In 2008 and 2009 Kessey won back-to-back individual Best of the Beach tournaments.
Also being inducted on Saturday is Santa Barbara native Bob “Crank” Van Wagner, who photographed beach volleyball in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the eras of Selznick, Saenz and Bright, through Lang/Von Hagen, Bergmann/Riffiero, Lee/Menges, Karch/Singin, Stokey/Smith, and Hov/Dodd.
The evening’s special honoree is Tom “Blue Eyes” Chamales. He won eight tournaments over four years with partner Ron Von Hagen in the early 1970s, including the 1974 Manhattan Beach Open.
Top adult and junior CBVA players will also be honored. A social hour in the Historical Museum will begin at 5 p.m., followed by inductions ceremonies at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 at Events.R20.constantcontact.com.