Torrey Pines grads win beach volleyball U19 World Championship

Torrey Pines High School alums Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple of the U.S. Beach U19 National Team won the FIVB U19 World Championship in Phuket, Thailand on Dec. 11. In the finals, Kraft and Maple swept a Russian team 2-0 (21-12, 21-17) to finish an unbeaten run in which they only dropped one set.

“There’s something different about winning with USA on your chest,” Maple told USA Volleyball. “And it’s always fun to do it with your best friend!”

The two 19-year-old Torrey Pines graduates both play beach volleyball for USC.

At Torrey Pines, Maple was a four-year varsity player and a three-time TPHS Most Valuable Player. She was named to PrepVolleyball.com’s All-America first team as a senior and earned Avocado West All-League first-team and CIF All-State honors. Maple played six years for Wave Beach Volleyball Club

Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple celebrate.

(FIVB)

The 6’0 Kraft played three years of varsity at Torrey Pines and was named the 2019 Avocado League Player of the Year and No. 1-rated beach recruit by “Volleyball Magazine”. She played indoor volleyball with Coast Volleyball Club for five years and played beach volleyball with Wave Beach Volleyball Club for two years.

Both women helped Torrey Pines win the Open Division National Championship, San Diego Section titles and CIF state titles.

Before going 8-0, Kraft/Maple had to beat a Spanish team in qualification just to get into the U19 World Championship tournament’s main draw, according to USA Volleyball. Seeded 27th, they won their pool with a 3-0 record and the highest point ratio of the 32-team field.

In the Round of 16 they beat a Dutch team, won 2-0 in the quarterfinals and played in an all-American semifinal against U19 National Team teammates Xolani Hodel and Kate Reilly. After beating Hodel/Reilly, Kraft/Maple advanced to the title match where they took the gold medal.

This is the second U19 beach title for the U.S. after Jane Croson/Summer Ross won in 2010.

“It’s hard to put into words how cool (being a world champion) feels,” Maple said to USA Volleyball. “It’s surreal right now. It’s very awesome to get to do this for our country.”