Returning Women's Division Champion Megumi Murikami will play as a Pro this year with a new partner, Hiroyo Kaneda --- the duo will represent Japan in the Pro raffle draw. Kaneda is not new to the Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival (MCBVF), as she and her former partner, Mitsumi Ozaki, placed second in the 2010 ProAm Cup. Murikami's former partner, Remi Sudo, will play this year's event with Kazuko Sugawara for a shot at the Women's Division title.

 

Murikami and Kaneda, along with their coach, arrived on Friday 2/18 for a whole week training before the ProAm Cup. NMIVA spent Sunday afternoon installing new nets and court lines and then spent a few matches practicing with the visiting champs.