Misty May-Treanor will play with Nicole Branagh this season, she has announced on her website.
May-Treanor and Branagh's partnership will mark May-Treanor's first time competing with somebody other than Kerri Walsh since 2001. May-Treanor missed all but one event in 2009 with an Achilles tendon injury.
"I have been training everyday and will soon be headed back out to the beach," May-Treanor said in the announcement on mistymay.com. "I am very excited about the upcoming year. For those that aren't aware, Kerri is expecting her second child (congratulations to her and Casey), so I will be teaming up with Nicole Branagh. Nicole is such a dynamic player; it is going to be fun."
Branagh, last season's Best Offensive Player and MVP, finished 2009 ranked third on the AVP in aces with 145. Her .477 hitting percentage ranked fourth. She and Elaine Youngs won nine events and advanced to the finals in all 12 of their regular-season tournaments while splitting blocking duties. With May-Treanor behind her the 6'2" Branagh, who will be 31 when the season begins, is expected to be among the AVP's 2010 leaders in blocks.
Branagh had played with Youngs since the end of the 2006 season, including the Beijing Olympics. Youngs, 39, plans to play this season but has not yet announced her partner. She won bronze at the 2004 Olympics with Holly McPeak.
May-Treanor, 32, is the winningest woman in AVP history with 105 victories. She has played in three Olympics and won gold medals with Walsh in 2004 and 2008.
Walsh, married to fellow AVP star Casey Jennings, returned to action last August after giving birth to her first son in late May. As of last month, the 31-year-old's due date was May 30. Whether she will make a similar comeback this season is uncertain.
When she does return, Walsh has said she hopes to get back together with May-Treanor "and be better than ever."
source: avp.com