Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth Reflect on the Olympics

If you tuned into the Olympics this year and were one of the viewers wowed by the talent and gameplay of Team USA’s beach volleyball duo, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth, you’re not alone. The two are a treat to watch. Meeting at LSU, they come from New Orleans and Sioux Falls, respectively, and have a fun and confident way of communicating with each other on the court. Clocking in at 5’6″ and 6’4″, they are high energy and high spirits, high-fiving themselves and competitors during their games, often laughing in between sets.

After representing Team USA in Paris, they headed into the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Manhattan Beach Open less than a month later. We caught up with them on their way to gold at the Open, and chatted about their favorite part of the Olympics, how much sleep they need, and what they’re looking forward to most these next couple of months.

PS: What was the best part about playing in the Olympics?

Kristen Nuss: Oh my goodness. I think the standout moment for me had to be our first match under the Eiffel Tower. We were playing at 10 pm, so at 10 o’clock is when the first twinkle of the Eiffel Tower happens and all the lights went out in the stadium and we just basically got to sit in the stadium with 12 to 13,000 people just watching Eiffel Tower twinkle before we went to go play our first match in the Olympics. It was a surreal moment. I mean, that’s what dreams are made of.

Taryn Kloth: That was my standout moment, too. It was magical and it was so surreal and it was something that we had been dreaming of. It was a dream come true.

PS: What are your workout go-tos right now?

KN: Honestly, we don’t really do a ton of just cardio. It’s mainly built into our training in the sand. On a normal week we spend about four to five days in the sand for anywhere from two to three hours. And then in the gym we do a lot of explosive movement, a lot of jumps. We try to get four workouts in a week at the gym. So it’s pretty regimented.

TK: We like routine, routine.

PS: As far as kind sleep and rest, what are you doing in that regard? What do you need as far as kind of preparing for sleep?

TK: We try to sleep as late as possible before a game or workout. The nice part about building our own schedule is that we get to schedule when we get to go to the weight room or when we want to go to the gym and when we want to go to practice. So we do prioritize sleep and we don’t actually go to the gym until about 10 a.m. So yes, sleep is super important.

KN: We try to get eight to nine hours of sleep every night.

PS: You spend a lot of time in the sun. What do you do to protect yourself?

TK: SPF every single day. I do not go outside without SPF. Obviously we’re in the sun too, which is super drying. So we need moisturizer.

KN: Yeah, this right here [Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 Moisturizer]. Love it. Put that on every morning. And then also reapplying. I think that is something that people forget is that they need to be reapplying. I’m like the sunscreen police. I’m like, ‘did you reapply yesterday?’

PS: What’s coming down the pike as far as exciting things you’re looking forward to?

KN: The first AVP pro beach volleyball league — that has never been a thing. This is the first time, so we’re super excited to see how it goes. It’s something new. Hopefully people get excited about it. [Editor’s Note: The duo will be included in the draft for the Fall 2024 league.]

Taryn Kloth: Honestly, staying in the US and playing, because it really is different playing in front of your family and friends, getting to see people, and going to dinners and breakfast — it’s just different. So I am very excited to be able to play domestically for the rest of the year.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Samantha Leal is a lifestyle writer, editor, and editorial consultant who writes about beauty, wellness, travel, drinks, and more — basically, all the good things in life. She’s held editorial roles at The Knot, Latina magazine, Marie Claire, and Well+Good, and she’s written for PS, Bustle, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Glamour, Travel + Leisure, Byrdie, StyleCaster, The Zoe Report, and more.