Episode 283 - Kristen Cruz (Nuss)

Episode 283 - Kristen Cruz (Nuss)

From The Option by Jason Dibelius

May 11, 2026 · 1h 11m

About this episode

Kristen Cruz discusses her journey as a professional beach volleyball player, including her achievements and experiences in tournaments.

Kristen Cruz (Nuss) is an American professional beach volleyball player. A perfect 36-0 her senior year at LSU, she hit the ground running on the pro scene, winning multiple regional tournaments, her first Gold Series in Atlanta, her first FIVB in Australia, the first of many titles on the domestic and international scene, capping it off with her first Olympic appearance at the Paris games. Along with her partner Taryn Brasher, they are, to date, the number one team in the world. This podcast was live where we took live questions, mixed in with our subject matter 02:01 - The past tournaments, the honor system on touch or net calls, what age did you start driving, her upcoming tournament with Lippmann from Germany 09:22 - fan questions: serving strategy as the smaller player, was playing in front of your parents growing up a pressure cooker, how do you break down video (self, opponent), don't over-analyze things about a team that can change from one game to another, plus, what techniques are not up for compromise? 17:45 - favorite country to play in, her type of set preference, when she wants to start a family, personalizing your work, dealing with a loss, when coaches should talk…

People in this episode

Host: Jason Dibelius

Guest: Kristen Cruz

Topics covered

  • beach volleyball
  • professional sports
  • tournament strategies
  • athlete experiences
  • mental preparation
  • youth sports development

Keywords

  • Kristen Cruz
  • beach volleyball
  • LSU
  • Olympics
  • tournament strategy
  • athlete mindset
  • youth sports

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LSU

Places: Australia, Paris

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