Nicole Branagh Official Website

The AVP Tour today announced its 2010 schedule, which consists of 12 stops across the United States, from the East Coast to the Midwest and back to Southern California.

Nicole Branagh supports the Home Field Advantage project through ONEXONE. Ambassadors of the Home Field Advantage project include Mia Hamm, Charlize Theron, and Matt Damon.

Summer has come and gone, and with it another season to remember. After 16 events from Atlanta to Hermosa Beach and Houston to Chicago, the AVP honored its top 2009 performers in eight categories at its annual awards banquet last night in Manhattan Beach.

Top seeds Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs became champions twice over Sunday at the AVP Crocs Cup Championship Kentucky Grilled Chicken Chicago Open, winning both the tournament and the season-long Crocs Cup Championship title.

Its been a frequent occurrence this season: Jen Kessy and April Ross meeting Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the finals. Here at the Crocs Cup Championship Kentucky Grilled Chicken Chicago Open the two teams faced each other making it the ninth time in 2009. 

Moments after Elaine Young and partner Nicole Branagh pulled out a three-set victory (21-14, 13-21, 15-11) Sunday afternoon against April Ross and Jenn Kessy in the womens final of the AVP Chicago Open, Youngs face was beaming brighter than the sun beating down on Oak Street Beach.

They win the AVPs Hermosa Beach Open after coming within one point of losing to Jen Kessy and April Ross.

Itll be a reunion weekend of sorts at the AVP Tours Hermosa Beach Open this weekend, as three of the four gold medalists from the 2008 Olympics will be competing, and the fourth is expected to be in attendance along with one of the NBAs most popular players.

Beijing Olympians Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs won the AVP Manhattan Beach Open on Sunday for their first victory in the event as a team and sixth in the eight events theyve played this year.

After Misty May-Treanor tore her Achilles training for "Dancing With The Stars" in October and Kerri Walsh announced she was pregnant in December -- effectively sidelining the worlds best beach volleyball team for at least a season -- not a single person would have faulted Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs for gleefully shouting, "Money, money, money!"

For the women, top-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs remained perfect on the season as well, beating second-seeded Jen Kessy and April Ross, 21-18, 21-14, to win the title.

Along with the natural conflicts that are part of competition, womens beach volleyball pros are experiencing conflicted feelings this season.