Friday, May 2
Gulf Shores, Ala.
7:00 a.m. PT | 9:00 a.m. CT
USC
vs
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North Florida
Photo by: Gage Masterson
USC Beach Volleyball Opens Defense of NCAA Titles Against Ospreys
April 29, 2025 | Women's Beach Volleyball
The Trojans have won four straight NCAA championships and take aim at a fifth this week
LOS ANGELES – The four-time defending NCAA champion USC beach volleyball team (26-10) was tabbed the fifth seed in the national championship and will face 12th-seeded Atlantic Sun champion No. 14 North Florida (26-10) in the first round on Friday (May 2). The Trojans and the Ospreys will meet at 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT) in a dual that will be shown live on ESPN2.
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USC also faced North Florida as its first opponent in the 2024 NCAA championship. The Trojans are 4-0 all-time against the Ospreys and swept UNF, 5-0, earlier this season at the Best in the West event in Laguna Beach (April 5).
2025 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Gulf Shores Beach • Gulf Shores, Ala.
TV: ESPN/ESPN2 (Courtney Lyle, Holly McPeak, & Madison Fitzpatrick)
or (Sam Gore, Nicole Branagh, & Dawn Davenport)
MATCH #37 • Friday, May 2 • 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT)
[5] No. 5 USC (26-10) vs. [12] No. 14 North Florida (26-10)
NCAA Championship • Round of 16
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 4-0 (1.000)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10: 4-0
LAST MEETING: W 5-0 (April 5, 2025 • Laguna Beach, Calif.)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UNFOspreys.com
BARE E-SAND-SHELLS • TL;DR
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GULF SURE: Including duals played as part of the AVCA championships (2013-15), USC is 38-8 (.826) all-time on Gulf Shores sand. The Trojans are 31-4 in duals at the NCAA championship. USC lost twice each in 2018 and 2019 when the tournament was a double-elimination bracket. Its second loss in 2019 was to eventual champion UCLA in the championship dual. Under sixth-year head coach Dain Blanton, USC is 17-0 in the NCAA tourney. Last year, the Trojans went 4-0 and were 12-0 in individual matches to capture their fourth straight national championship.
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LAST TIME OUT: The Trojans were the runner-up for the inaugural MPSF championship last week in Huntington Beach, Calif. USC defeated No. 20 Washington (3-0) in the first round but was sent to the loser's bracket by No. 3 Stanford in a 3-0 loss. The Trojans fought back on the final day to move past No. 9 California (3-2) and knocked out top-seeded No. 1 UCLA (3-1) to reach the championship dual. There, Stanford awaited and claimed a narrow 3-2 win. The Trojans' No. 2 pair of Kennedy Coakley and Ashley Pater and their No. 4 pair of Delaney Karl and Ella Larkin were chosen to the MPSF all-tournament team.Â
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NEW DIGS:Â USC played its first season as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2025. The Trojans were members of the Pac-12 from 2016 through 2024 and won five conference titles (2016-17, '19, '22, 24) including the first (2016) and final crown awarded in 2024. With the dissolution of the league, USC moved to the MPSF and was joined by UCLA, California, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, and Grand Canyon. The first MPSF beach volleyball tournament was played at Spiker Beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., and won by Stanford. USC finished second to the Cardinal.
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ROAD WARRIORS:Â The Trojans played 27 of their 31 regular-season duals on the road. USC took a total of six trips (one to Laguna Beach) in the regular season. Last year, including trips to play in the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments, the Women of Troy took eight trips in total.
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POLL POSITION: USC opened the 2025 season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach preseason poll. The Women of Troy have been ranked in every AVCA poll for a total of 123 weeks. USC has also been ranked in the top five of the poll 120 times. The Trojans held that top-five distinction for 63 consecutive weeks from its inception until March 2, 2020. USC first seized the No. 1 ranking in both the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine polls on March 23, 2015, following a victory over then No. 1-ranked Hawai'i on the road and held the ranking for the rest of 2015. USC has been ranked No. 1 in 50 AVCA polls, the most all-time. The Trojans, Pepperdine, Hawai'i, UCLA, LSU, Florida State, and TCU are the only seven teams ever to hold the top spot in the poll. USC is 159-20 all-time when ranked No. 1.
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USC also faced North Florida as its first opponent in the 2024 NCAA championship. The Trojans are 4-0 all-time against the Ospreys and swept UNF, 5-0, earlier this season at the Best in the West event in Laguna Beach (April 5).
2025 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Gulf Shores Beach • Gulf Shores, Ala.
TV: ESPN/ESPN2 (Courtney Lyle, Holly McPeak, & Madison Fitzpatrick)
or (Sam Gore, Nicole Branagh, & Dawn Davenport)
MATCH #37 • Friday, May 2 • 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT)
[5] No. 5 USC (26-10) vs. [12] No. 14 North Florida (26-10)
NCAA Championship • Round of 16
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 4-0 (1.000)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10: 4-0
LAST MEETING: W 5-0 (April 5, 2025 • Laguna Beach, Calif.)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: UNFOspreys.com
BARE E-SAND-SHELLS • TL;DR
- USC has won the last four NCAA crowns and owns seven national titles including the first NCAA championship awarded in 2016 (AVCA '15, NCAA '16, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24).
- The Trojans play in their ninth NCAA tourney and are one of just three teams to play in every championship (UCLA, FSU).
- USC is 168-30 (.848) under sixth-year head coach Dain Blanton.
- The Women of Troy own five Pac-12 titles (2016, '17, '19, '22, '24).
- USC is 38-8 all-time in the state of Alabama (all on Gulf Shores sand) and is 31-4 in NCAA tournament duals; 17-0 under the direction of Dain Blanton.
- The Trojans have played in seven of the eight NCAA championship duals (2018).
- The Women of Troy are ranked No. 5 in the AVCA poll (April 29). It is the 123rd time (of 123) USC is ranked. The Trojans have ranked in the top five 120 times and have also held the No. 1 spot a record 50 times.
- So. Zoey Henson and Jr. Madison White are 22-11 at the No. 1 position.
- The Trojans' No. 2 pair of Fr. Kennedy Coakley and So. Ashley Pater have produced a 27-4 record together and won 20 straight matches between March 1-April 12 (the program's ninth longest win streak).
- Gr. Ella Larkin (86-25), Jr. Madison White (79-28), and Gr. Maya Gessner (67-36) lead the Trojans in career victories. All of White's wins are with USC. Just behind that trio is So. Ashley Pater at 60-9 in her career.
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GULF SURE: Including duals played as part of the AVCA championships (2013-15), USC is 38-8 (.826) all-time on Gulf Shores sand. The Trojans are 31-4 in duals at the NCAA championship. USC lost twice each in 2018 and 2019 when the tournament was a double-elimination bracket. Its second loss in 2019 was to eventual champion UCLA in the championship dual. Under sixth-year head coach Dain Blanton, USC is 17-0 in the NCAA tourney. Last year, the Trojans went 4-0 and were 12-0 in individual matches to capture their fourth straight national championship.
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LAST TIME OUT: The Trojans were the runner-up for the inaugural MPSF championship last week in Huntington Beach, Calif. USC defeated No. 20 Washington (3-0) in the first round but was sent to the loser's bracket by No. 3 Stanford in a 3-0 loss. The Trojans fought back on the final day to move past No. 9 California (3-2) and knocked out top-seeded No. 1 UCLA (3-1) to reach the championship dual. There, Stanford awaited and claimed a narrow 3-2 win. The Trojans' No. 2 pair of Kennedy Coakley and Ashley Pater and their No. 4 pair of Delaney Karl and Ella Larkin were chosen to the MPSF all-tournament team.Â
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NEW DIGS:Â USC played its first season as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2025. The Trojans were members of the Pac-12 from 2016 through 2024 and won five conference titles (2016-17, '19, '22, 24) including the first (2016) and final crown awarded in 2024. With the dissolution of the league, USC moved to the MPSF and was joined by UCLA, California, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, and Grand Canyon. The first MPSF beach volleyball tournament was played at Spiker Beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., and won by Stanford. USC finished second to the Cardinal.
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ROAD WARRIORS:Â The Trojans played 27 of their 31 regular-season duals on the road. USC took a total of six trips (one to Laguna Beach) in the regular season. Last year, including trips to play in the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments, the Women of Troy took eight trips in total.
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POLL POSITION: USC opened the 2025 season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach preseason poll. The Women of Troy have been ranked in every AVCA poll for a total of 123 weeks. USC has also been ranked in the top five of the poll 120 times. The Trojans held that top-five distinction for 63 consecutive weeks from its inception until March 2, 2020. USC first seized the No. 1 ranking in both the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine polls on March 23, 2015, following a victory over then No. 1-ranked Hawai'i on the road and held the ranking for the rest of 2015. USC has been ranked No. 1 in 50 AVCA polls, the most all-time. The Trojans, Pepperdine, Hawai'i, UCLA, LSU, Florida State, and TCU are the only seven teams ever to hold the top spot in the poll. USC is 159-20 all-time when ranked No. 1.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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