The stage is set for what promises to be one of the most competitive National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championships in recent memory. Sixteen elite teams will converge on Gulf Shores, Alabama from May 2-4, 2025, all vying for collegiate beach volleyball's ultimate prize.
This year's championship tournament will unfold over three action-packed days, with the opening round featuring eight matches on Friday, May 2. The competition intensifies with quarterfinals and semifinals scheduled for Saturday, May 3, before a new national champion emerges on Sunday, May 4.
Gulf Shores Public Beach continues its tradition as the championship's home venue—a role it has played since the inaugural championship in 2016 and will maintain through at least 2031.
The 2025 season has demonstrated remarkable parity among top programs. Southern California and UCLA, long considered the sport's powerhouses, have shared the number one ranking with TCU at various points throughout the season. In total, 21 different teams have appeared in the rankings, with seven different programs cracking the top five.
What makes this year particularly intriguing is the absence of any dominant, undefeated team. According to data from Statbet, every championship contender has suffered at least four defeats during the regular season—a testament to the growing competitive balance in collegiate beach volleyball.
The regular season has featured numerous upsets and nail-biting finishes, with split head-to-head results among top teams further complicating championship predictions. With more than 1,400 dual matches completed during the regular season, teams have been thoroughly tested heading into the championship weekend.
With such evenly matched competitors, each of the tournament's 15 matches could potentially produce dramatic moments as the field narrows from 16 to a single champion. Beach volleyball fans can expect three days of world-class competition as these student-athletes battle in the sand for national glory.
