Rachel Wacholder got a bit of a jolt upon returning to the United States from a beach volleyball tournament in Europe this summer.

Not because the airline lost her baggage, but because the airline employee she dealt with over the phone knew who she was.

"I told him my name and he said, 'The volleyball player?'" Wacholder said. "When something like that happens, I'm like, 'Wow.' I'm not even one of the biggest names out there (in sports), and I feel like more and more people know who I am."

Part of that recognition is due to pro beach volleyball's recent resurgence in popularity since its heydays of the 1980s and '90s. Part of it is due to Wacholder's success on the AVP Tour the past few years. If she has her way, however, most of her familiarity in American households will come from competing in the Beijing Olympics next summer.

Such a trip would be the perfect way to cap what's been a bit of a whirlwind past 12 or 13 months in which the former University of Colorado star has gone through two playing-partner changes andtraveled to several tournaments overseas.

Wacholder and Tyra Turner are one of four American duos vying for the United States' two berths in the Olympics. But teaming up with Turner wasn't the easiest decision for Wacholder to make.

After a tumultuous split with Elaine Youngs in the middle of the season last summer, Wacholder had teamed up with Jen Boss and was enjoying the dynamic with her new partner professionally and personally.

But a lack of success internationally meant Wacholder had to take more of a businesslike look at volleyball after last season ended.

"Jen and I, we just struggled against the international teams," Wacholder says. "I don't know if it was size or what, but we didn't have good finishes internationally and that's how you qualify for the Olympics. The partnership change was tough in the sense that Jen was a friend and I really liked playing with her. But I think it's worked out well for both of us. She and April (Ross) are doing great, and Tyra and I are doing well, too."

Despite sitting fourth in the international standings among the American teams after four of 12 events that will count for Olympic qualifying, Wacholder and Turner scored their biggest victory together a few weeks ago, upsetting Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca — the world's No. 1 ranked duo two years running — to claim bronze at the Henkel Grand Chelem in Paris.

"It was awesome," Wacholder says. "It was really fun being on the podium with a couple of the best teams in the world."

Wacholder and Ross are also second in the AVP's Crocs Cup standings this year, trailing only Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. They have placed second four times, third five times and fifth twice in 11 AVP events.

Wacholder has had success in Boulder the last two years at AVP events with two different partners, winning with Youngs two years ago and making a semifinal appearance with Boss last summer at Boulder Reservoir. She hoped to return this month — Boulder has hosted events the last week of August the last two years — with Turner. But the AVP and the city of Boulder couldn't reach an agreement on tournament dates in time for the 2007 season.

AVP commissioner Leonard Armato couldn't be reached for comment, but spokesperson Kimberly Moran said the tournaments in Boulder were successful and that she could see the tour returning to Colorado at some point. Sticking points if it were to return to Boulder would be finding agreeable dates for both sides and also in finding a local promoter to help with marketing and ticket sales.

"I mention it a bunch but that doesn't mean it means anything," Wacholder said of returning to Boulder. "But I think we'll be back. We've had a couple duds this year, new (tournaments) that just weren't good. It seems like we need to go back to the places that have gone well."

For now, despite her success on the AVP Tour, Wacholder's biggest focus is on the Olympics. At age 32, she knows 2008 will likely be her last shot at the Games.

"I'm going to definitely after the Olympics think about having a baby," said Wacholder, who lives with boyfriend Sean Scott in Redondo Beach, Calif. "I'd like to keep playing but I don't know how my body's going to feel."

As for whether her AVP career will be finished after the Olympics, Wacholder keeps an open mind.

"I think there's going to be a lot of pregnant women at the same time (after the Olympics)," she says. "So maybe we'll have a little daycare thing on the AVP Tour."