Stanford Cardinal Set for 2026 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship Final

UCLA secured its third NCAA beach volleyball championship on Sunday, May 3, 2026, defeating top-seeded Stanford in a 3-0 sweep in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The victory at Gulf Place Public Beach marked the first national title for UCLA head coach Jenny Johnson Jordan, who took over the program in 2023. The Bruins, who finished the season with a 33-6 record, earned their first championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.

Maggie Boyd was named the tournament MVP after helping lead the Bruins to the title. Boyd and Sally Perez won the clinching match of the final, defeating Stanford’s Kelly Belardi and Avery Jackson 21-11, 21-19.

Match Breakdown

UCLA established early momentum in the championship dual. The pairing of Kaley Mathews and Ensley Alden provided the first point for the Bruins with a 21-16, 21-11 victory over Stanford’s Brooke Rockwell and Ruby Sorra.

The second match proved to be the most contested of the day. Ava Williamson and Jesse Dueck secured a 2-0 lead for UCLA by defeating Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell 21-17, 25-23.

Following the sweep, the matches featuring UCLA tandems Alexa Fernandez and Harper Cooper, as well as Kenzie Brower and Mallory LaBreche, became unnecessary.

Stanford’s Path to the Final

Stanford entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and finished the season with a 39-4 record. The Cardinal reached the national championship match for the first time in program history under head coach Andrew Fuller.

Stanford’s route to the final included several gritty performances against top-eight opponents. The Cardinal began the tournament with a 3-0 sweep of No. 16 Chattanooga on May 1, followed by a 3-1 victory over No. 8 California in the quarterfinals on May 2.

In the semifinals on May 2, Stanford defeated No. 5 Florida State 3-1. That match was decided in the second wave, where juniors Ruby Sorra and Brooke Rockwell notched the clincher in a three-set battle, winning 29-27, 19-21, 15-10.

Tournament Context and History

The 2026 final was an All-MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) affair, marking the first time the conference won the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship since the MPSF began sponsoring the sport two years ago.

UCLA’s path to the final required a 3-2 semifinal victory over No. 2 Texas on May 2, snapping a 15-dual winning streak held by the Longhorns.

Since the NCAA began sponsoring women’s beach volleyball in 2016, the sport has been dominated by Los Angeles-based programs. Southern California has won six of the ten championships. UCLA now holds three titles, while TCU broke the Los Angeles streak in 2025 by defeating Loyola Marymount.

Throughout the 2026 season, Stanford and UCLA were the only two teams to hold the No. 1 spot in the AVCA beach-volleyball coaches poll. UCLA held the top ranking for six weeks, while Stanford held it for four.