FOLEY, Ala. – UNCW senior Gracie Sistrunk and junior Lyvia Trimp have been named Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Pair of the Year to headline the league’s 2025 superlative awards and all-conference teams announced Wednesday evening. The awards were voted upon by the league’s head coaches.
Four teams had multiple pairs honored across two All-Sun Belt Conference teams, led by Georgia State with three duos. Coastal Carolina, Mercer and UNCW each had two tandems selected.
Additionally, Coastal Carolina senior Raychel Ehlers and UNCW junior Gabby LaPata became the first players to earn All-Sun Belt honors in three-consecutive seasons, respectively.
The annual awards precede the 2025 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship which is set to take place April 24-26 at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex. All 12 matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. For complete information, please visit the
Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship Central page.
Pair of the Year: Gracie Sistrunk & Lyvia Trimp, UNCW
Sistrunk and Trimp became the second Seahawks pair to earn the league’s top annual honor, following in the footsteps of Gabby LaPata and Sadie Sharkey in 2024. The duo recorded an impressive 24-1 overall record – all of which came at the No. 2 spot in the lineup – and closed the regular season on a 19-match winning streak. Sistrunk and Trimp compiled a 13-0 mark against conference foes and a 2-0 ledger against ranked opponents. They are currently listed No. 50 nationally in the TruVolley rankings.
Newcomer of the Year: Annika Thompson, UNCW
Thompson registered a 17-8 record individually during her first season with the Seahawks alongside teammate Traci Schrock. She went 16-6 playing at the No. 3 flight and posted a 9-4 mark against Sun Belt opponents. Nine of her victories came in straight sets and her longest winning streak was seven-straight matches between Feb. 28 and March 21.
Freshman of the Year: Frida Meincke Lyø, Coastal Carolina
Lyø delivered an instant impact on the Chanticleers’ lineup during her debut campaign by winning 20 of her 32 total matches during the regular season. Playing at the No. 1 flight and producing a 20-12 overall record in that spot, she earned notable wins against South Carolina twice, UNCW, Mercer, Arizona, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Coach of the Year: Collin Wilson, Coastal Carolina
In his second season at the helm of the program, Wilson led the Chanticleers to a 20-12 overall record, including a 6-0 mark in Sun Belt play and the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament. Despite returning just two players from last season’s team that finished runner-up in the Sun Belt tournament, the Chants defeated No. 15 Georgia State for the first time in program history, earned a season sweep over South Carolina and went undefeated against in-state opponents.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Awards
Pair of the Year: Gracie Sistrunk / Lyvia Trimp, UNCW
Newcomer of the Year: Annika Thompson, UNCW
Freshman of the Year: Frida Meincke Lyø, Coastal Carolina
Coach of the Year: Collin Wilson, Coastal Carolina
All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
Emma Kunaus / Frida Meincke Lyø, Coastal Carolina
Ayla Johnson / Aree Keller, Georgia State
Destiny White / Savannah Ebarb, Georgia State
Gracie Sistrunk / Lyvia Trimp, UNCW
Gabby LaPata / Sarah Thompson, UNCW
All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
Raychel Ehlers / Ava Novello, Coastal Carolina
Michaela Jefferson / Danica Singleton, Georgia State
Liv Diaz / Jordan Paddock, Mercer
Nicole O’Mara / Kathryn Corbett, Mercer
Zuzanna Michalska / Madison Cassidy, Southern Miss