A steady rise gives Branagh her day in sun

The California native overcame early struggles, finding a winning beach volleyball formula with partner Elaine Youngs.

By JIM SOUHAN, Star Tribune

Last update: August 5, 2008 - 5:10 PM

Nicole Branagh, on the phone from her home in LA, sounded harried. The former Gophers volleyball star was making her final preparations for her trip to Beijing. "It's exciting and a little overwhelming,'' she said. "I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions.''

This will be Branagh's first Olympics -- she's on one of the United States' two beach volleyball squads that qualified -- but moving in different directions is nothing new for her.

She grew up in the Bay Area, but accepted a volleyball scholarship at Minnesota under renowned coach Mike Hebert.

She became the co-player of the year in the Big Ten in 2000, and had more career kills than James Bond -- 2,379, a conference record.

She embarked on a pro indoor career and dreamed of making the Olympics in that sport, never even playing in a beach volleyball competition until 2002. After playing indoor volleyball overseas, in Japan and Italy, friends persuaded her to have a little fun on the California sand, and she began working her way up in what is a very different sport.

Hebert knows just how far she's come. "She was not a top-shelf recruit in terms of visibility,'' Hebert said. "She was kind of hidden away in a small club. She was terrific, just not a heavy-ink kind of recruit.

"We spotted her in a tournament in Northern California, and I didn't see her until the winter of 1997. She was playing in an out-of-the-way site in a tournament, I believe, in Phoenix, in an elementary school gym. We had to break into the place at 8 a.m. because there was no one there to open the doors.

"It was pretty clear right away she was a spectacular athlete. She could really jump and hit the ball, and that was about it. I knew she could become something special, I just didn't know whether anything like this could have been expected.''

Hebert also wondered about Branagh's transition from indoor pro volleyball to the beach, because Branagh had not excelled at ball control or passing as a Gopher. Branagh admits the change proved difficult.

"First of all, it's just two people, so you're responsible for 50 percent of the court,'' she said. "The beach crowd is a little more easy-going, and you hire your own coach, so you have a lot more control over training and strategy.

"And you are really linked to your partner. You spend a lot of time together.''

Speaking at an Olympic media summit in Chicago this summer, Branagh and her partner, Elaine Youngs, both referred to the soap opera atmosphere of pro beach volleyball, in which someone is always looking for a new significant other.

Branagh rose quickly in beach volleyball, being named the 2005 rookie of the year and 2006 most improved player on the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) while playing alongside Holly McPeak.

This is where it gets interesting. McPeak won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics while playing with Youngs. McPeak chose Branagh before she had made a name for herself.

Then, in 2006, with McPeak and Branagh slumping, Youngs approached Branagh about joining her. Branagh accepted, and still sounds uncomfortable talking about it.

"I've been so fortunate to pair with Holly and EY,'' Branagh said. "They've both been great to learn from. EY asked me to play with her at the end of our season. It was a good opportunity.

"I don't like the whole breakup thing. I don't like that at all. I was new, so I hadn't done much of that -- breaking up with the partner, dumping or whatever you want to call it.

"It was very hard for me, but at the end of the day I learned that it's a business, and you make a friendship and you commit a lot of time together, but at the end of the day it is a business, and this was the best decision for me.''

Said Youngs: "One of the reasons I wanted to play with Nicole is she's really athletic, really physical, moves really well. I thought playing alongside someone who attacks and hits the way I do would be a great advantage.''

Branagh has traveled the world playing volleyball, competing in places as far-flung as Russia, Australia, Thailand and Brazil.

"We had a good year, so we're fortunate enough to be able to call this a job,'' Branagh said. "We're not making millions like NBA players, but we're doing what we love and focusing on growing beach volleyball.''

In Beijing, Branagh and Youngs will have to contend with what they called China's "home-sand advantage,'' and the preeminent U.S. team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.

"The Olympics have always been a dream of mine,'' Branagh said. "It's really amazing that this is all coming true.''

Hebert agrees. "At this point with Nicole, nothing surprises me,'' he said. "And the best thing is that she still considers herself a Gopher at heart.''

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