DURHAM, N.C. – Former Duke volleyball player Tealle Hunkus earned a spot on the USA Volleyball U-26 Beach National Team and will pair with Brooke Sweat to form the national team’s number two tandem, USAV announced Monday.

Hunkus, an outside hitter at Duke from 2003-06, and Sweat will now represent the United States at one of two FIVB World Tour events, the first in the Netherlands on Aug. 10-15 or the second in Finland on Aug. 17-22.

USA Volleyball originally selected Hunkus and seven other players to the USA Volleyball A2 (U-26) Beach National Training Team in June. That group was then trimmed to four players, including Hunkus and Sweat, and the No. 1 pairing of Christal Morrison and Cayley Thurlby.

Hunkus recently paired with Cindie Boosin to finish tied for 17th at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open on July 17-19, beating Morrison and Ashley Groothius (T-25th), Thurlby and Diane Copenhagen (T-33rd) and Sweat and Morgan Flarity (T-33rd).

After graduating from Duke in 2007, Hunkus began playing professional beach volleyball with the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals). This year, she has played on the AVP Young Guns Tour, which is designed as a way for up and coming players to accumulate main draw points and prize money. She has twice finished fifth in her three-year career – both of those finishes coming in 2009 – and is currently ranked 15th on the Young Guns circuit. Her partner Sweat is ranked 11th, while Morrison is ranked third.

A native of Girard, Ohio, Hunkus was an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention in 2006 and a two-time All-ACC second team selection. She finished her four-year career with 1,126 kills and 114 service aces and helped Duke capture the 2006 ACC Championship. She was also a part of two Duke NCAA Tournament teams and helped the Blue Devils reach the second round in each of those postseason trips.

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