{"id":17754,"date":"2025-07-22T00:17:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T04:17:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/?p=17754"},"modified":"2025-07-22T00:17:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T04:17:09","slug":"sara-hughes-partners-with-ally-batenhorst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/2025\/07\/22\/sara-hughes-partners-with-ally-batenhorst\/","title":{"rendered":"Sara Hughes Partners with Ally Batenhorst"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to Sara Hughes’ New Partnership<\/h2>\n

Reigning beach volleyball world champion Sara Hughes searched far and wide for her new partner. So far and wide that she didn\u2019t even pick a professional beach volleyball player.
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\nHughes will team up with Ally Batenhorst, a professional indoor volleyball player for the Omaha Supernovas of the Pro Volleyball Federation, on her quest to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the new duo revealed exclusively to NBC.<\/p>\n

The Discovery of Ally Batenhorst<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhen I first saw her, I was like, \u2018wow,\u2019\u201d Hughes said. \u201cShe has such athleticism. She looks like a true leader on the court. She’s very passionate, and I thought all those would translate to the beach.\u201d While the 22-year-old Batenhorst has only played indoor volleyball professionally, she does have experience playing beach volleyball in college. Prior to transferring to USC, where she solely played indoor volleyball and was a 2024 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, she played both indoor and beach volleyball at Nebraska, finishing with a 39-28 career record on the sand.<\/p>\n

Transitioning from Indoor to Beach Volleyball<\/h2>\n

\u201cI would say it’s like a completely different sport,\u201d Batenhorst said. \u201cYou have to learn little things like wind and you’re outside and it’s only two of you, so little things like that are an adjustment for sure. But at the end of the day, it\u2019s volleyball.\u201d Hughes was looking for a new partner after suffering an Achilles tendon injury earlier this year. Her partner when she finished fifth at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kelly Cheng, is now playing with Molly Shaw. Hughes is back on the sand and practicing. She said that her recovery is going \u201creally well\u201d and hopes to make her competitive debut with Batenhorst this fall.<\/p>\n

Batenhorst\u2019s Transition from Indoor Volleyball to Beach Volleyball<\/h2>\n

There is precedent for bringing an indoor volleyball player to the sand. Nobody knows this better than Hughes\u2019 agent Tom McCarthy, the president and CEO of Progressive Sports Management. McCarthy was Misty May-Treanor\u2019s agent when they recruited Kerri Walsh Jennings from the U.S. indoor national team to beach volleyball. The duo went on to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals together. \u201cThe game hadn’t seen a body [like the 6-foot-3 Walsh Jennings] that big and built that way and they revolutionized the sport,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cEven though it’s very different from that time in 2000, it’s actually the same on a bigger scale because the game has advanced so much. The athletes have gotten so much bigger and stronger and faster, so then we have had to adapt to that.\u201d Batenhorst certainly has the height. The Houston native is 6-foot-5, the same height as 2020 Olympic champion Alix Klineman. Cheng, Hughes\u2019 prior partner, is listed at 6-foot-2.<\/p>\n

Instant Chemistry between Batenhorst and Hughes<\/h2>\n

Hughes sent an Instagram direct message to Batenhorst to initiate the partnership discussion. They bonded over their similarities. Both attended USC, where Batenhorst wore No. 14 for the indoor team and Hughes wore No. 14 on the sand. Both are passionate about faith, education and music. \u201cRight away the communication was so easy,\u201d Batenhorst said. \u201cIt’s hard to find that right away within a beach volleyball partnership.\u201d McCarthy added, \u201cI\u2019ve never seen [Hughes] laugh and smile so much\u201d as when she is around Batenhorst. Off the sand, the new duo is working through important team dynamics. \u201cMaybe a cute little fan will figure out a nickname for us,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cWe\u2019re also going to establish a handshake.\u201d Batenhorst and Hughes are looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Beach volleyball will be played less than 20 miles from Hughes\u2019 high school, Mater Dei, and less than 25 miles from their alma mater, USC.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The partnership between Sara Hughes and Ally Batenhorst is an exciting development in the world of beach volleyball. With their combined skills, experience, and chemistry, they are a force to be reckoned with. As they prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, they are determined to be the hardest working team and make their mark on the sport. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will feature more events and will award more medals than prior Olympics.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n