Photo by: Jake Berg
USC Beach Volleyball's Coakley-Pater Tabbed for AVCA Top Flight Honors
May 02, 2025 | Women's Beach Volleyball
The USC beach volleyball pair is 27-4 at the No. 2 position this season
LEXINGTON, Ky. – USC beach volleyball's pair of freshman Kennedy Coakley (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) and sophomore Ashley Pater (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) were chosen for the AVCA's Top Flight Award, the organization announced on Friday, May 2.
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Coakley and Pater earn the 20th Top Flight honor won by a Trojan duo. The pair produced the eighth-longest win streak in program history earlier this season with 20-straight wins between March 1 and April 12. They are 27-4 together at the No. 2 position and were named the AVCA/CBVB National Pair of the Week on April 7. Coakley and Pater were also chosen to the MPSF's All-Tournament Team last week. They were each also named AVCA second-team All-Americans and earned All-MPSF second-team honors earlier this week.
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The Top Flight awards program is designed to recognize excellence in collegiate beach volleyball from all over the country and across all flights. The nature of beach volleyball dictates that each player fills an important role on the team. Each pair must give their greatest effort to help the squad clinch the three wins necessary to defeat an opponent. It takes all 10 athletes performing at a high level to achieve greatness. With this in mind, the AVCA created this award to reward the hard work and consistent play of pairs at each flight. In order for a pair to be eligible for the award, two athletes must compete in at least 15 matches together and at a specific flight number. Should that pair win at least 75% of its matches—regardless of the overall result of the dual—those athletes achieve Top Flight status.Â
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The Trojans—seeded fifth—make their ninth NCAA tournament appearance this week and will defend their four straight national titles on Gulf Shores sand in Alabama. USC (26-10) received an at-large berth takes on 12th-seeded North Florida (26-10) in a first-round dual at 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT) on Friday (May 2). All duals at the NCAA championship will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN.
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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.
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Coakley and Pater earn the 20th Top Flight honor won by a Trojan duo. The pair produced the eighth-longest win streak in program history earlier this season with 20-straight wins between March 1 and April 12. They are 27-4 together at the No. 2 position and were named the AVCA/CBVB National Pair of the Week on April 7. Coakley and Pater were also chosen to the MPSF's All-Tournament Team last week. They were each also named AVCA second-team All-Americans and earned All-MPSF second-team honors earlier this week.
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The Top Flight awards program is designed to recognize excellence in collegiate beach volleyball from all over the country and across all flights. The nature of beach volleyball dictates that each player fills an important role on the team. Each pair must give their greatest effort to help the squad clinch the three wins necessary to defeat an opponent. It takes all 10 athletes performing at a high level to achieve greatness. With this in mind, the AVCA created this award to reward the hard work and consistent play of pairs at each flight. In order for a pair to be eligible for the award, two athletes must compete in at least 15 matches together and at a specific flight number. Should that pair win at least 75% of its matches—regardless of the overall result of the dual—those athletes achieve Top Flight status.Â
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The Trojans—seeded fifth—make their ninth NCAA tournament appearance this week and will defend their four straight national titles on Gulf Shores sand in Alabama. USC (26-10) received an at-large berth takes on 12th-seeded North Florida (26-10) in a first-round dual at 9 a.m. CT (7 a.m. PT) on Friday (May 2). All duals at the NCAA championship will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN.
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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.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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