Dax Holdren

Dax Holdren is synonymous with volleyball in Santa Barbara and his personal and professional achievements remain an inspiration to this day for those toiling on the hot beach sand. He’s always been a well-rounded athlete since his days at San Marcos High School. Halfway through his time there, he made the switch from baseball to volleyball. After building on his high school successes at Santa Barbara City College, he decided to join forces with former Royal teammate Todd Rogers to set out on a professional beach volleyball career. Joining the AVP in 1997, the pair quickly made a name for themselves earning Rookie of the Year honors. The duo had eight wins together, including a World Tour victory in 2000, five AVP titles, and a fifth-place finish in the 2001 World Championships.

He later partnered with Eric Fonoimoana on the AVP tour for two seasons, and they were considered the dominant force in the game, almost guaranteed to represent the United States at the upcoming 2004 Olympic games. A knee injury sidetracked Holdren in 2003 and his Olympic dream seemed to be slipping away. However, his dedication to his craft and determination to rehab and come back stronger surprised the volleyball world. He joined up with a similarly hard-working and scrappy partner in Stein Metzger and they made a late run for the Olympic team. Not only did they earn a silver medal at the 2003 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, but they also secured one of the two coveted spots on the US Olympic Team for the following year. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, Dax represented his community proudly and earned a fifth- place finish.

Over his professional career, Holdren had 14 total wins on the AVP tour and found great success on the international stage. For a local little league convert who only started playing volleyball his junior year of high school to reach such heights in the sport only proves how drive, determination, and persistence can pay off in a big way. He continues to be a force in the athletics, helping local youth volleyball and basketball leagues in Santa Barbara where he lives with his wife, Jen, and their two children, Kobe and Ellis.