Number 1 ranked University of Southern California Trojans made history when they defeated Number 2 Florida State (32-3) by a 3-0 count in the inaugural NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship on the sands of Gulf Place last Sunday, May 8, 2016.
The Trojans closed the season with a spectacular 30-match winning streak and secured back-to-back national titles in beach volleyball as the defending AVCA champions of 2015. Junior All-Americans Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes were named to the NCAA all-tournament team as the pair from the No. 1 position and sophomore Jo Kremer and senior Zoe Nightingale were all-tournament selections at the No. 5 spot.
The title is USC's 124th team title and the school's 101st NCAA championship; the 17th NCAA crown won by a USC women's team. The Trojans faced the top-seeded Seminoles twice and dropped just one point in four duals. USC's beach team repeated a piece of history the Trojans' indoor volleyball team accomplished in 1981 as the first-ever NCAA women's indoor volleyball champions. That team also won the previous national championship (the 1980 AIAW title).
The USC beach volleyball team break the record as the first-ever NCAA champion when Claes and Hughes completed the 21-15, 21-10 win over Julie Brown and Jace Pardon at the top court. The win solidified the duo's undefeated season (48-0) and extended their winning streak to an incredible 73 victories. Claes and Hughes dropped just one set all season and gave up only six sets through the duration of their streak.
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