FOLEY, Ala. – For the fourth-straight season, top-seeded Coastal Carolina and No. 2 seed Georgia State posted unblemished opening days to advance directly to the semifinal round of the 2026 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex in Foley, Ala. 
 
The top seed for the second-straight year, Coastal Carolina earned a first-round bye before outlasting No. 4 seed UNCW, 3-2, in a hard-fought opener. The Chanticleers earned straight-sets victories at the No. 3 and No. 5 flights, before the top pairing of senior Emma Kunaus and sophomore Frida Meincke Lyø took down Sun Belt Pair of the Year graduate student Gracie Sistrunk and senior Lyvia Trimp in three sets to clinch the match. 

Three-time defending Sun Belt tournament champion Georgia State swept No. 7 seed Mercer, 5-0, and added another sweep of No. 3 seed Southern Miss, 5-0, in Thursday’s finale to earn a return trip to the semifinals.  
 
The Chanticleers and Panthers will meet at 3:15 p.m. CT on Friday with a trip to the championship match on the line. 
 
No. 4 seed UNCW opened the championship with a 4-1 win over No. 5 seed College of Charleston, while No. 3 seed Southern Miss topped No. 6 seed ULM, 4-1, in its championship opener. 
 
The Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship features a double-elimination format, with loser’s bracket play beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Friday. 

Every match from the 2026 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship will be nationally broadcast on ESPN+. 
 
For more information, including relevant links and daily recaps, visit Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship Central. 

2026 SUN BELT BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DAY 1 RESULTS
Match 1: No. 4 seed UNCW def. No. 5 seed College of Charleston, 4-1
1. Gracie Sistrunk/Lyvia Trimp (UNCW) def. Paige Clark/Harleigh King (CofC), 21-9, 21-9
2. Gabby LaPata/Sarah Thompson (UNCW) def. Elizabeth Curry/Holly Hopkins (CofC), 21-15, 21-17
3. Alise Barbour/Alivia Hamel (UNCW) def. Ella Duffner/Alivia Newberg (CofC), 20-22, 21-17, 15-13
4. Addie Marinack/Hannah Parkinson (UNCW) def. Madison Loving/Sophie Sageer (CofC), 21-12, 21-11
5. Fiona North/Grace Toscano (CofC) def. Keenan Engebretson/Traci Shrcok (UNCW), 21-18, 21-15
 
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 1*, 5, & 3

Match 2: No. 2 seed Georgia State def. No. 7 seed Mercer, 5-0 
1. Savannah Ebarb/Bella Troncale (GSU) def. Maggie Forsyth/Jordyn Thomas-Warren (Mercer), 21-14, 22-20
2. Michaela Jefferson/Danica Singleton (GSU) def. Grace Rathburn/Kristi Talocka (Mercer), 21-18, 18-21, 15-4
3. Noalani Nuez/Adeline Thompson (GSU) def. Hollis Engel/Madeline Lee (Mercer), 21-10, 21-14
4. Kealy Dirner/Ella Mozeleski (GSU) def. Giselle Estrada/Cyleigh Sayler (Mercer), 21-17, 21-9
5. Kaylei Drysdale/Ellie Neville (GSU) def. Finley Kenney/Carly Lenhardt (Mercer), 13-21, 21-10, 15-4
 
Order of Finish: 4, 3, 2*, 1, & 5

Match 3: No. 3 seed Southern Miss def. No. 6 seed ULM, 4-1
1. Abby Ryno/Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM), 21-15, 19-21, 18-16
2. Abby Lewis/Zuzanna Michalska (USM) def. Katie Felts/Avery Hunter (ULM), 21-14, 21-9
3. Giovan Gurgel Bahia/Ki Martini Adamsone (USM) def. Paige Ingersoll/Izabela Zukowska (ULM), 21-13, 12-21, 20-18
4. Iustina Corcoz/Y-Nhu Do (USM) def. Brooke Bankston/Maddie Peterson (ULM), 21-16, 21-12
5. Margarita Grigoreva/Jaden White (USM) def. Calliandra Otjen/Samantha Rodriguez (ULM), 21-14, 21-14
 
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5*, 3, & 1

Match 4: No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina def. No. 4 seed UNCW, 3-2
1. Emma Kunaus/Frida Meincke Lyø (CCU) def. Gracie Sistrunk/Lyvia Trimp (UNCW), 21-15, 17-21, 15-11
2. Gabby LaPata/Sarah Thompson (UNCW) def. Anna Rita/Madeline Sigmon (CCU), 21-19, 21-15
3. Courtney Burnham/Maya McNabney (CCU) def. Alise Barbour/Alivia Hamel (UNCW), 22-20, 21-15
4. Addie Marinack/Hannah Parkinson (UNCW) def. Karis Gordon/Ava Novello (CCU), 12-21, 23-21, 15-12
5. Kristyna Koblizkova/Olivia Pippin (CCU) def. Keenan Engebretson/Traci Schrock (UNCW), 21-18, 21-18 
 
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 5, & 1*

Match 5: No. 2 seed Georgia State def. No. 3 seed Southern Miss, 5-0
1. Savannah Ebarb/Bella Troncale (GSU) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM), 21-16, 26-24
2. Michaela Jefferson/Danica Singleton (GSU) def. Abby Lewis/Zuzanna Michalska (USM), 21-15, 19-21, 15-5
3. Noalani Nuez/Adeline Thompson (GSU) def. Giovan Gurgel Bahia (USM), 16-21, 21-18, 11-8 Forfeit 
4. Kealy Dirner/Ella Mozeleski (GSU) def. Iustina Corcoz/Y-Nhu Do (USM), 21-14, 21-16
5. Kaylie Drysdale/Ellie Neville (GSU) def. Margarita Grigoreva/Jaden White (USM), 21-13, 21-15

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 1*, 5, & 3
 
2026 SUN BELT BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 23
Match 1 – No. 4 seed UNCW def. No. 5 seed College of Charleston, 4-1
Match 2 – No. 2 seed Georgia State def. No. 7 seed Mercer, 5-0
Match 3 – No. 3 seed Southern Miss def. No. 6 seed ULM, 4-1
Match 4 –No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina def. No. 4 seed UNCW, 3-2 
Match 5 – No. 2 seed Georgia State def. No. 3 seed Southern Miss, 5-0
 
Friday, April 24
Match 6 – No. 7 seed Mercer vs. No. 6 seed ULM – 10:00 a.m.
Match 7 – No. 5 seed College of Charleston vs. No. 3 seed Southern Miss – 11:45 a.m. 
Match 8 – No. 4 seed UNCW vs. Match 6 Winner – 1:30 p.m. 
Match 9 – No. 2 seed Georgia State vs. No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina– 3:15 p.m.
Match 10 – Match 7 Winner vs. Match 8 Winner – 5:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, April 25 
March 11 – Match 9 Loser vs. Match 10 Winner – 10:00 a.m.
Match 12 – Match 9 Winner vs. Match 11 Winer – 1:00 p.m.