AVP Fort Myers, Florida - April 18-20, 1997

DODD AND WHITMARSH CAPTURE THEIR FIRST TOURNAMENT WIN OF THE
SEASON AT THE $100,000 MILLER LITE OPEN AT FT. MYERS

Ft. MYERS, FL (April 20, 1997) -- Playing in their first tournament final of the season, the No. 2 seeded tandem of Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh defeated No. 3 seeds Brian Lewis and Scott Ayakatubby by a score of 10-8, 14-12 to win the $100,000 Miller Lite Open at Ft. Myers.

Whitmarsh tallied three blocks and four aces en route to his 15th career win, while his partner Dodd posted two aces of his own for his 73rd career victory at the first single elimination tournament of the season on the Miller Lite/AVP Tour. Olympic silver medalist Whitmarsh leads the Association of Volleyball Professionals in blocks with 53.

Lewis, who ranks No. 1 with 74 service aces, recorded four in the setback to the No. 2 seeds while his partner Ayakatubby added two aces and one block.

The No. 1-seeded tandem of Olympic gold medalist Kent Steffes and Jose Loiola placed third after falling to Ayakatubby and Lewis by a score of 11-4, 11-7 in the first semi-final of the day. Dain Blanton and Canyon Ceman, runners-up at last year's Miller Lite Open at Ft. Myers, also placed third after falling to Dodd and Whitmarsh 11-8, 6-9, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

The Miller Lite/AVP Tour concludes its "Tour Florida" April 25-27 as it resumes at the $100,000 Coppertone Championships of Florida in Miami. For ticket information contact Telecharge at (800) 432-7470.

$100,000 total prize money
32 Teams

1st - Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (2)           $20,000

2nd - Scott Ayakatubby/Brian Lewis (3)       $11,400

3rd - Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)           $ 8,080
3rd - Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (6)          $ 8,080

5th - Rob Heidger/Troy Tanner (5)*           $ 4,990
5th - Bill Boullianne/Eric Fonoimoana (4)    $ 4,990
5th - Randy Stoklos/David Swatik (7)         $ 4,990
5th - Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (10)          $ 4,990

9th - Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (12)            $ 2,060
9th - Brian Gatzke/Jeff Rodgers (13)*        $ 2,060
9th - Scott Friederichsen/Leif Hanson (16)   $ 2,060
9th - Brent Doble/Lance Lyons (20)*          $ 2,060
9th - Raul Papaleo/Greg Ryan (23)*           $ 2,060
9th - Todd Ahmadi/Curtis Griffin (24)*       $ 2,060
9th - Jason Pursley/Jason Stimpfig (25)*     $ 2,060
9th - Greg Shankle/Kevin Wong (29)           $ 2,060

17th- Eduardo Bacil/Ian Clark (8)*           $ 1,000
17th- Ricci Luyties/Kevin Martin (9)*        $ 1,000
17th- Nick Hannemann/Henry Russell (11)      $ 1,000
17th- Aaron Boss/Eric Wurts (14)*            $ 1,000
17th- Daniel Cardenas/Jim Nichols (15)       $ 1,000
17th- John Brajevic/Marcelo Duarte (17)      $ 1,000
17th- Mark Paaluhi/Wayne Seligson (18)       $ 1,000
17th- Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (19)*     $ 1,000
17th- Albert Hannemann/Chris Young (21)      $ 1,000
17th- James Fellows/Burke Stefko (22)        $ 1,000
17th- Andre Gomez/Dan Vrebalovich (26)       $ 1,000
17th- Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (27)*       $ 1,000
17th- Kurt Dumm/Matt Winterburn (28)*        $ 1,000
17th- Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (30)       $ 1,000
17th- Bob Brennan/Rondeau Flynn              $ 1,000
17th- John Anselmo/Erik Moore                $ 1,000

PLAYERS

SEEDINGS

Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)
Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (2)
Scott Ayakatubby/Brian Lewis (3)
Bill Boullianne/Eric Fonoimoana (4)
Rob Heidger/Troy Tanner (5)*
Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (6)
Randy Stoklos/David Swatik (7)
Eduardo Bacil/Ian Clark (8)*
Ricci Luyties/Kevin Martin (9)*
Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (10)
Nick Hannemann/Henry Russell (11)
Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (12)
Brian Gatzke/Jeff Rodgers (13)*
Aaron Boss/Eric Wurts (14)*
Daniel Cardenas/Jim Nichols (15)
Scott Friederichsen/Leif Hanson (16)
John Brajevic/Marcelo Duarte (17)
Mark Paaluhi/Wayne Seligson (18)
Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (19)*
Brent Doble/Lance Lyons (20)*
Albert Hannemann/Chris Young (21)
James Fellows/Burke Stefko (22)
Raul Papaleo/Greg Ryan (23)*
Todd Ahmadi/Curtis Griffin (24)*
Jason Pursley/Jason Stimpfig (25)*
Andre Gomez/Dan Vrebalovich (26)
Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (27)*
Kurt Dumm/Matt Winterburn (28)*
Greg Shankle/Kevin Wong (29)
Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (30)
Qualifier 1&2               (31)
Qualifier 3&4               (32)

NOTES: Number in brackets "(#)" reflects the teams seeding
        * = New Team (from previous week)

Karch Kiraly  out for 5-6 weeks, 5/11?  (shoulder injury)
Brent Frohoff out for   ? weeks         (knee surgery)
Adam Johnson  out for   ? weeks, 4/5?   (groin injury)

RESULTS

Check back on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

DATE

April 18-20, 1997

LOCATION

   Fort Myers Public Beach
   (North of the Pier)
   Fort Myers Beach, Florida

PRIZE MONEY

$100,000

TELEVISION

Fox Sports Net

TICKETS

   Telecharge  800-432-7470

NUMBER OF TEAMS, FORMAT

32 Teams
Single Elimination

PAST CHAMPIONS


YEAR EVENT BEGAN: 1986