{{Short description|Filipino-American beach volleyball player (born 2000)}} {{use mdy|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox volleyball biography | name = Sunny Villapando | image = <!-- Image name, e.g., John_Doe.jpg --> | image_size = <!-- Leave this blank for the default size --> | caption = | full_name = Sunnie Kalani Villapando<!-- if different --> | nickname = Sunny | nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|23|mf=y}} | birth_place = Torrance, California, U.S. | death_date = <!-- Use {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | hometown = Manhattan Beach, California | height = <!-- "X cm" or "X ft Y in" (conversions are automatic) --> | weight = <!-- "X kg" or "X lb" (conversions are automatic) --> | spike = <!-- "X cm" or "X in" (conversions are automatic) --> | block = <!-- "X cm" or "X in" (conversions are automatic) --> | college = Stanford<br>USC | currentyears = 2026– | currentteammate = Grydelle Matibag | currenttours (currentpoints) = | years = | teammates = | tours (points) = | resultyears = | location = | result = | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's volleyball}} {{MedalCountry | {{PHI}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Southeast Asian Games}} {{MedalGold|2025 Thailand|Women's beach}} | updated = }}'''Sunnie Kalani Villapando''' (born January 23, 2000) is a Filipino American beach volleyball player.
==Early life and education== Sunnie Kalani Villapando was born on January 23, 2000 to Roland and Robin Villapando in Torrance, California. However, she considers the city of Manhattan Beach as her hometown. She graduated from the Mira Costa High School in 2017 before pursuing a degree in product design at Stanford University.<ref name=standford>{{cite web |title=Villapando Sunnie Kalani - Challenge - Nuvali, PHI - 2025 - Players |url=https://en.volleyballworld.com/beachvolleyball/competitions/beach-pro-tour/2025/challenge/nuvali-phi/players/217632 |website=Volleyball World |access-date=22 April 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sunny Villapando - Beach Volleyball 2021 |url=https://gostanford.com/sports/beach-volleyball/roster/player/sunny-villapando |website=Stanford Cardinal - Official Athletics Website |access-date=22 April 2026}}</ref> She pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California<ref name=usc>{{cite web |title=Sunny Villapando - Women's Beach Volleyball |url=https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-beach-volleyball/roster/sunny-villapando/12237 |website=USC Athletics |access-date=22 April 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== ===College=== Villapando played with Stanford Cardinal beach volleyball team from 2018 to 2021.<ref name=standford/> As a graduate school student, she joined the USC Trojans women's beach volleyball team<ref name=usc/>
===Beach volleyball=== Villapando partnered with Jenny Gaviola of the Philippine Coast Guard at the 2025 AVC Beach Tour Nuvali Open.<ref>{{cite news |title=UAAP champions competing in AVC Beach Tour Nuvali Open |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/uaap-champions-competing-in-avc-beach-tour-nuvali-open |access-date=22 April 2026 |work=Sun Star Davao |publisher=SunStar Publishing Inc. |date=3 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
She later played in the 2026 season of the Beach Volleyball Republic in the Philippines. She took part in the 2025 and 2026 seasons.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dawa |first1=Elech |title=Villapando babandera sa BVR Nuvali Open |url=https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/palaro/2026/03/24/2516382/villapando-babandera-sa-bvr-nuvali-open |access-date=22 April 2026 |work=Pilipino Star Ngayon |publisher=The Philippine Star |date=24 March 2026 |language=fil}}</ref>
===National team=== Villapando was part of the quartet which won women's beach volleyball gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, breaking the eight title streak of Thailand since the sport was introduced in the SEA Games in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Agcaoili |first1=Lance |title=Sunny Villapando shines in SEA Games debut with beach volley gold |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/655714/sunny-villapando-shines-in-sea-games-debut-with-beach-volley-gold |access-date=22 April 2026 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=20 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Gavin |title=Fil-Ams Sophia Dignadice, Sunny Villapando win gold at SEA Games |url=https://usa.inquirer.net/186530/fil-ams-sophia-dignadice-sunny-villapando-win-gold-at-sea-games |access-date=22 April 2026 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer USA |date=30 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
She paired with Grydelle Matibag for the 2026 Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China.<ref>{{cite news |title=Battle lines drawn in Sanya beach volley |url=https://manilastandard.net/sports/active/314730392/battle-lines-drawn-in-sanya-beach-volley.html |access-date=22 April 2026 |work=Manila Standard |date=22 April 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Villapando, Sunny}} Category:Filipino women's volleyball players Category:Living people Category:2000 births Category:Sportspeople from Torrance, California Category:SEA Games gold medalists for the Philippines Category:SEA Games medalists in volleyball Category:Filipino women's beach volleyball players Category:Volleyball players at the 2025 SEA Games Category:21st-century Filipino sportswomen Category:Sportspeople from Manhattan Beach, California Category:Stanford Cardinal women's volleyball players Category:USC Trojans women's beach volleyball players