June 23, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State's Dean Bittner earned MVP honors while leading the U.S. Men's A2 Team to the championship in the Pan American Cup last week in Chiapas, Mexico.

Bittner (Lakewood HS/Lakewood, Calif.) led the United States in scoring in the championship game with 30 points on 27 kills, one block and two aces. Bittner converted 57 percent of his attack attempts into points.

Bittner was joined on the Pan American Cup roster by former 49ers' Tyler Hildebrand, Robert Tarr and Dustin Watten. Bittner started at opposite, while Tarr started at outside hitter and Hildebrand started at setter. Watten saw action as a substitute.

The four 49ers led the Americans to a 4-0 record including the 32-30, 16-25, 24-26, 25-17, 15-12 win over Canada in the championship game. Team USA also beat the Dominican Republic 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 in the semifinals, as well as beating Canada and the Dominican Republic in Group A action.

A pair of other 49ers have been named to the national beach volleyball training teams for the 2009 FIVB Junior (Under -21) World Championships. Cody Watten and Colten Echave, both freshmen at Long Beach State last year who redshirted, will look to make the U.S. Team. Dates and a site for the championships have yet to be announced.

The beach athletes will start training this week in Southern California with Eduardo "Anjinho" Bacil, USA Volleyball's head beach volleyball coach who will be assisted by Jon Ahoroni, USAV's coordinator of beach coaching and development. By mid-July teams will be narrowed down to four athletes per gender per age to travel.