Redondo Beach’s twin volleyball players Avery and Addison “Addi” Junk returned home last month as world-class athletes. The standout duo represented Team USA at the 2025 FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October, where they fought their way to a silver medal in a dramatic, all-American final.
Junior twins led the competitions with a 6-0 record leading up to the final. However, they lost to fellow Americans Jordyn Scribner and Ella Grimes in the final. Scribner and Grimes took home the gold after winning straight sets with scores of 21-13 and 24-22.
Photo by : Chace Bryson
Becoming U18 silver medal champions is a major accomplishment, but falling short still stung for the twins.
“Our first reaction when winning the silver medal was disappointment because we were playing for gold and lost,” Addi Junk told SportStars. “However, we were proud during the medal ceremony when we were on the podium receiving our medals, followed by the national anthem.”
She added that seeing the American flag on the big screen while listening to the Star Spangled Banner was a special moment that had the sisters beaming with pride for their hard work and for representing their country.
“It was such an honor,” Junk said of the opportunity to play overseas. “We felt so proud and were more excited for this tournament than usual, knowing we were there to represent the USA. “
The journey to the U18 Beach Volleyball World Championships has been an exciting ride for the Junk twins. In May, they helped Redondo Union High School capture its first CIF-Southern Section beach volleyball pairs title.
The Junk sisters defeated rival Mira Costa’s Lucy Matuszak and Ruby Cochrane by a 21-15, 14-21, 15-10 margin in the final to earn the first pairs title in program history. Not only did the twin duo bring home a CIF-SS pairs title, but the entire RUHS team claimed the CIF Division I state title, the sisters helping to put the school on the map for the season.
Tough competition isn’t new to the Junk twins. They have been dedicated volleyball athletes for years. Their bond on and off the sand provides them with intuitive playing skills when paired.
Despite the time challenge, the twins gave it their all in each match. “Our most memorable moment was against Team Germany. We played them in the quarter finals, and both players were really good, and we lost the first set and were trailing in the 2nd and came back to win the 2nd and 3rd, moving on to the semis.”
The silver medalists are expected to continue on their path of greatness in the sport, continuing to learn and grow. “We gained a lot of experience on this trip that we will take with us in our volleyball careers,” Junk added. “I’d say our biggest lesson would be to always play to our strength and not adjust our system of play based on the environment or competition. We like to play fast and loose and serve tough.”