Rising beach volleyball star Ally Batenhorst, the partner of world champion Sara Hughes, has been suspended by the sport’s international governing body after testing positive for a banned substance, the Southern California News Group has learned.
Batenhorst is appealing the decision, her agent Thomas P. McCarthy confirmed to SCNG.
Batenhorst, 23, tested positive for what McCarthy described as a prescription medication after a match at the Elite 16 tournament, a Beach Pro Tour stop in Newport Beach last month. Batenhorst was notified of the positive test by FIVB, volleyball’s worldwide governing body, Tuesday night.
FIVB has not announced the suspension.
“Ally has a Dr. prescribed prescription/medication that both the FIVB and USA Volleyball were and are aware of prior to the FIVB drug test administered in Newport Beach,” McCarthy wrote in an email to SCNG. “All the necessary paperwork has been filed and we expect the suspension to be lifted as soon as the review process is complete.”
McCarthy added that “Parties trying to expedite review process as all documentation has been filed.”
Hughes, a former Mater Dei and USC standout, surprised the sport when it was announced in July that she had selected Batenhorst as her new partner. Hughes had been sidelined by an Achilles tendon injury since competing at the 2024 Olympic Games where she and Kelly Cheng were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Batenhorst had no previous professional beach experience, playing for the Omaha Supernovas, a professional indoor team, before teaming up with Hughes.
“When I first saw her, I was like, ‘Wow,’” Hughes told NBC in July. “She has such athleticism. She looks like a true leader on the court. She’s very passionate, and I thought all those would translate to the beach.”
Batenhorst, 6-feet-5 outside, was a member of the U.S. national indoor training team in 2020 before playing three years at Nebraska. She transferred to USC prior to the 2024 season after graduating from Nebraska. She was an All-Big Ten and honorable mention All-American selection for the Trojans.
“I would say it’s like a completely different sport,” Batenhorst told NBC. “You have to learn little things like wind and you’re outside and it’s only two of you, so little things like that are an adjustment for sure. But at the end of the day, it’s volleyball.”