USC Beach Volleyball Four-Peats

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The top-seeded and No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (37-5) defeated second-seeded No. 2 UCLA (35-7) by a 3-0 count to win the 2024 NCAA championship at Gulf Beach Place on Sunday, May 5.
 
The championship is an unprecedented fourth-straight for a USC women's team and marks the first time a Trojan team of either gender has won four consecutive national titles since the men's water polo team won six consecutive titles from 2008-13.
 
USC brings home the 38th national championship won by a women's team; the 28th NCAA title for the Women of Troy. It is also the 136th national title won by a USC team and the 113th NCAA championship all-time.
 
The Trojans won this championship without dropping a single match (12-0) and improved to 97-32 across all courts of play at the NCAA championship. USC improved to 31-4 in NCAA tournament duals and is now 155-18 in duals when they are ranked No. 1 in the AVCA coaches' poll. The Trojans also rise to 38-8 in the state of Alabama.
 
Three Trojan pairs were chosen to the all-tournament team for the second time in program history (2017) led by senior All-Americans Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple at the No. 1 position. Graduate twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse were named to the team for the third time in their careers and did so from the No. 3 position. USC's freshman-graduate duo of Ashley Pater and Grace Seits were chosen to the team from the No. 4 position.
 
Just like they did in 2023, Nourse and Nourse delivered the clinching blow from the No. 3 position with a three-set win over Kenzie Brower and Jessie Smith, 22-20, 15-21, 15-11. The victory made the twins 32-7 to conclude the season on a nine-match win streak. In Gulf Shores, the sisters finish 12-1 with a 10-match win streak at Gulf Beach Place. The Trojan pair completes their careers at 123-23 all-time. Nicole's 127-career victories ranks sixth all-time in USC history and Audrey's 124 wins ranks tied for ninth in program history.
 
In a two-flight championship dual format, the Trojans claimed the first point from the No. 2 position when graduate Maddi Kriz and sophomore Madison White fought through a three-set match with Peri Brennan and Devon Newberry to take a 14-21, 21-19, 15-13 win. Kriz and White finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and moved to 10-3 to finish the season on a three-match win streak. Kriz finishes her career with 103 wins.
 
The Women of Troy went in front, 2-0, when Pater and Seits overcame a first-set loss to Tessa Van Winkle and Jaden Whitmarsh at the No. 4 position, 26-24, and won the second, 25-23. The Trojan duo then cruised to a 15-8 win in the third to close the season on a five-match win streak and finish at 12-1 together. Seits concludes her career with 92 all-time victories.
 
At the top court, Kraft and Maple split sets with Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaberg, but were leading in the third, 21-16, 18-21, 8-4, when play was halted. With two wins in the tournament, Maple concludes her career with 128 wins to rank fifth all-time in USC history. Kraft finishes with 125 victories to rank eighth all-time. The duo goes to 37-4 on the season and to 65-7 all-time.
 
At the No. 5 position, freshman Madison Goellner and sophomore Mabyn Thomas fell in their first set against Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowski, 21-17, but won the second, 22-20. The Trojans were up, 4-2, when play was stopped.
 
The Trojans improved to 27-20 all-time against UCLA and to 4-2 at the NCAA tournament, which includes a 3-1 mark when the teams meet in the championship dual. This season, each USC-UCLA dual pitted No. 1 against No. 2. This meeting was the 35th time that USC has played in a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup. The Trojans improved to 19-15 with a 11-10 record when ranked No. 1 and an 8-5 mark when ranked No. 2.
 
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCBeach.
 
[1] No. 1 USC def. [2] No. 2 UCLA, 3-0
NCAA Championship · Championship Dual
Gulf Beach Place · Gulf Shores, Ala.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
RECORDS: USC (37-5), UCLA (35-7)
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) vs. Maggie BOYD/Lexy DENABERG (UCLA); 21-16, 18-21, 8-4 DNF
2. Maddi KRIZ/Madison WHITE (USC) def. Peri BRENNAN/Devon NEWBERRY (UCLA); 14-21, 21-19, 15-13
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Kenzie BROWER/Jessie SMITH (UCLA); 22-20, 15-21, 15-11
4. Ashley PATER/Grace SEITS (USC) def. Tessa VAN WINKLE/Jaden WHITMARSH (UCLA); 24-26, 25-23, 15-8
5. Madison GOELLNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) vs. Ensley ALDEN/Natalie MYSZKOWSKI (UCLA); 17-21, 23-21, 4-2 DNF
Order of finish: 2, 4, 3*