LEXINGTON, Ky.  – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its 2021 AVCA Top Flight Award winners with two University of Hawai'i pairs earning recognition. The No. 4 pair of Ilihia Huddleston and Kaylee Glagau and the No. 5 pair of Anna Maidment and Sofia Russo each made the cut with their stellar play this season.
 
This year marks the third class of the award which started in 2018 and is designed to recognize excellence in beach volleyball from all over the country and across all flights. In order for a pair to be eligible for the award, the two athletes must compete in at least 15 matches together and at a specific flight number. Should that pair win at least 75 percent of their matches – regardless of the overall result of the dual – they achieve "Top Flight" status.
 
Glagau, a freshman from Mississauga, Canada, and Huddleston, a second-year freshman from Oceanside, Calif., are one of just six pairs nationally to be recognized at the No. 4 flight. The duo went 14-4 (.778) on the season at that flight. The pair ended the year strong with an 8-1 record their final nine matches at the No. 4 court, including four key victories in the Big West Championship this past weekend.  
 
Maidment, a second-year freshman from Winnipeg, Canada, and Russo, a third-year sophomore from Cherry Hill, N.J.,  were rock-solid for UH all year long at the No. 5 spot. The pair went 16-5 together to own the best win percentage (.762) overall of any BeachBow duo this year. Maidment and Russo won 12 of their final 14 matches together, which included a seven-match win streak.
 
Glagau, Huddleston, Maidment and Russo continue a tradition of elite BeachBows who have earned Top Flight status. Eight previous UH pairings have achieved the award, with three coming in 2019 and five in 2018.