Baxter to defend Marianas Cup title, Snyder coming

AVP Tour veteran Paul Baxter will be aiming for his third championship when he competes in the 17th Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival at the Pacific Islands Club sand court next month.

Baxter teamed up with Randy Steele in the men’s doubles last year and prevailed in the finals over the Japanese duo of Daisuke Matsumoto and Shigekazu Fujimatsu, 21-13.

In 2004, the Baxter also partnered with Steele and the duo won its first championship.

Baxter is one of the four U.S. pro volleyball players who will be returning to Saipan to participate in the biggest beach volleyball event on island, which will run from March 6 to 8.

The 6’5” Minnesota native will be making his sixth trip here after having his Marianas Cup debut in 2003.

Baxter started joining competitive beach volleyball tournaments at the junior level for Team Sota of Minnesota. He then suited up for Ball State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Financial Management and lifted this team to a third place finish in the 1994 NCAA Tournament.

When he turned pro in 2003, Baxter gained five Final Four berths in the AVP Tour from 2003 and 2005 while teaming up with various partner. In 2005, he ranked eighth in both digs (629) and kills (1181).

Baxter will be joined at the Marianas Cup by fellow returnees Phil Dalhausser, Jenn Snyder, and Jenelle Koester, and pros from Japan and Korea.

Dalhausser is coming off a gold medal win in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he teamed up with Todd Rogers, and will be making his fourth stint at the Marianas Cup.

Snyder and Koester are on their second trip to Saipan after joining forces with Mili Saiki and Kelly Butcher, respectively, in their debut at the Marianas Cup last year.

Snyder and Saiki finished third last year, while the tandem of Koester and Butcher placed fourth.

The Marianas Cup is sanctioned by theNorthern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association and is supported by Aon Insurance, Aqua Resort Club, Chong’s Corporation, Delta Management Corporation, Glooay Mai Thai Spa, Gregg Elliott Artworks, Hertz, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Apparel, IT&E, KSPN2, LISS, Marianas Eye Institute, Mariana Resort & Spa, Marianas Trekking, MVA, Microl Corporation, No Ka Oi, NWA, PDI, Pacific Eagle Enterprises, PIC Guam, PIC Saipan, PTC, Saipan Grand Hotel, Seafix Inc., Shell Marianas, Star Sands Plaza, Stars & Stripes, Law Offices of Stephen J. Nutting, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Topnotch, Traders Insurance, Triple J Wholesale, and WDI Saipan.

A clinic set for March 6 and to be conducted by the pros will kick off the festivities at the Marianas Cup. The pros will also play exhibition games on the same day, while actual competition will take place on March 7 and 8.