One last go for Dalhausser
Pro beach: All-time great and 2008 Olympic gold medalist tells fans that he will retire after this season
Ageless Phil Dalhausser will make a farewell tour during the upcoming AVP season.
Dalhausser, 45, announced Monday on an Instagram post that his “helluva ride” as one of the greatest players ever to grace the sand is coming to a close, writing that his “23rd season … will be my last.”
Phil has partnered with Trevor Crabb in a “Dream Team” for the 2025 domestic campaign. They will have three tournaments in which to gain entry for the AVP League series, the first coming on Saturday in a 16-team single-elimination no-prize-money qualifier on Huntington Beach in Southern California.
Another no-purse Huntington Beach League qualifying tournament will be held on April 26. The third opportunity is the AVP Heritage Series Huntington Beach event on May 10 and 11, one of only two top-level traditional bracket-style tourneys on the AVP schedule, the other being the Manhattan Beach Open in August.
The winners in each gender from the Huntington Beach events will earn spots in the League. Additionally, a points system encompassing those qualifiers will fill out the remaining spots. Reports have surfaced that the sets in the League qualifiers will be shortened from the traditional 21 points to 15.
The AVP last week granted two wild-card entries on the women’s side — to Canadian Olympic silver medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson and USA Olympians Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss — but said no wild cards would be awarded to men’s teams.
During an earlier interview, Crabb said that he and Dalhausser “aren’t stressing over qualifying, we know we’re going to qualify, we should.”
Five of the eight spots in the League on the men’s side are open, with three pairs from postseason teams coming back — Miles Partain-Andy Benesh, Chase Budinger-Miles Evans and Taylor Crabb-Taylor Sander.
Monday on Instagram, Dalhausser wrote:
“I’ve decided that my 23rd season as a professional beach volleyball player will be my last. It’s been a helluva ride but as they say, all good things come to an end. I wanted to announce this in hopes to meet the fans (who) continue to support not only me, but also our beautiful sport of beach volleyball. Thank you so very much and I’ll see you out on the sand one last time!”
Also in an Instagram post on Monday, the AVP made the following statement about Dalhausser, their biggest men’s star of the 21st Century:
“For decades, you’ve been a force on the sand, entertaining the world with your skill, passion, and desire to win. From the biggest matches under the brightest lights to the long, grinding practices no one saw, you embodied what it means to be a champion.
”As fans, friends and fellow competitors we are in awe of the legacy you will leave behind as you make this your final year of competition. You’ve inspired countless athletes who will forever strive to impact the AVP and this sport the way you have. Though this marks the end of your time competing, your impact will continue to reverberate through every serve, spike, and rally to come.
”Thank you.”
Nicknamed the “Thin Beast” for his slender 6-foot-9 frame, Dalhausser represented the United States in four Olympics: 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London, teaming with Todd Rogers, and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2021 in Tokyo with Nick Lucena. Phil and Todd were the '08 gold medalists, as well as the world champions in 2007 (Gstaad) and 2009 (Stavanger).
Dalhausser joined the AVP tour in 2003 and has won 62 tournaments, including seven Manhattan Beach Opens with three partners — Rogers in 2006, '07 and '08, Sean Rosenthal in 2014 and '15, and Lucena in 2017 and '18. Phil also owns 38 gold medals on the world tour.
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