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Footage courtesy of Logan Mister
From the small island of Saipan to the sands of the Association of Volleyball Professionals, (AVP), Logan Mister and Andrew Johnson have made their mark this summer with podium finishes and a jump onto U.S. beach volleyball’s biggest stage.
After the duo collected silver at the 2025 Palau Pacific Mini Games, they followed it up with a bronze at the AVC Pingtung Open in Chinese Taipei, and then claimed second at the AVP Next SandBox Open in Ohio. Mister later teamed up with Rowdy Lennon to crack the main draw at the prestigious AVP Manhattan Beach Open, finishing 13th and officially establishing “AVP status.”
At the Pingtung Open from July 17-20, Mister and Johnson got their breakthrough medal on the Asian tour, rallying through the quarterfinals before sweeping Japan for bronze. It was a big step forward after falling short in earlier Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) tournaments. “We’re proud to represent CNMI and bring home a medal,” Mister said. “Two years ago we played in a AVC tournament in Thailand and we did not win a match. We have proved our resilience.”
The pair credited part of their success to guidance from professional player Leigh Sinoto, who flew in from Hawaii to coach them through the tournament.
From August 2-3, they were back on U.S. soil and they kept rolling in Ohio at the AVP Next SandBox Open, reaching the final and settling for a runner-up finish against a veteran duo. The strong finish gave them maximum AVP points and showed they could battle deep into high-level U.S. tournaments. “It has been an amazing month of beach volleyball, we have been able to travel all over the world together and compete in a variety of competitions,” Mister said.
“Everywhere we go people ask about Saipan and we get to share a bit about the place we call home.”
Mister then broke new ground from Aug. 14-17 at the Manhattan Beach Open, which is considered the “Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball.” Teaming up with Lennon, they upset a top-ranked pair to push through the contenders bracket before bowing out in 13th place. “It was a surreal experience to play against players that I’ve spent years watching on TV,” Mister said.
Then, just recently, Mister teamed up with Rowdy once again from Sept. 12-13 in the AVP Contender Event, Laguna Beach, but this time, they lost all their matches. Even so, the beach volleyball season is far from over, with about eight more events to go before the end of the year.
For two players from a tiny Pacific island, breaking into the AVP is a milestone few imagined possible. But with medals overseas, a U.S. runner-up finish, and now Manhattan Beach Mister’s resume, Mister and Johnson have proven they belong on the sport’s biggest courts.
By Leigh Gases
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