Locals vie for U.S.

Newport Harbor High product Kirby Burnham, who recently won the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. national sand volleyball title while representing USC, is among some locals representing the United States in upcoming international competition.

The 6-foot-2 Burnham, who will be a senior in the fall, is teamed with Meg Norton of Pacific Palisades playing in the Ontario Volleyball Assn. Grand Slam, Friday through Sunday, in Canada.

Jeff Carlson, a former Corona del Mar High standout who played collegiately at USC, and former UC Irvine letterman Will Montgomery will team with separate partners to compete in the Federation International de Volleyball Anapa Open in Russia July 23-28.

Carlson will play with Andy McGuire of Manhattan Beach, while Montgomery will team with Avery Drost of Redondo Beach.

Prior to that, however, Montgomery and partner Tri Bourne, a former USC standout, as well as current UCI standout Connor Hughes and partner Carlson, will compete in the World University Games, July 8-13 in Kazan, Russia.

Hughes, was the Most Outstanding Player as a junior in the 2013 NCAA Championships, where he helped UCI win its second straight national championship in May at UCLA.

The third of three FIVB age-group beach volleyball world championships will be the U19 event on July 11-14 in Porto, Portugal.

Representing the U.S. will be Costa Mesa resident Sara Hughes, who will play with partner Kelly Claes of Placentia.

— From staff reports