NCAA National Beach Volleyball Championship May 5-7 at Gulf Shores Public Beach
Championship will be at Gulf Shores Public Beach thru 2022
Sports Commission, AUB, Gulf Shores step up to keep what started here
Thanks to a collaborative local effort, the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championships will be held at Gulf Shores Public Beach through 2022. The inaugural NCAA-sanctioned beach volleyball championship was held at Gulf Shores Public Beach last May. This year’s event will return to the beach May 5-7.
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission, along with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the City of Gulf Shores, are the official hosts and driving force behind this unpredented leap into the national spotlight through 2022.
“Last year when we hosted the inaugural tournament, our cities, visitors and local community truly rallied around it,’’ said Beth Gendler, vice president of sales for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “We look forward to continuing this relationship and helping to forge the path for beach volleyball across the nation.”
“Gulf Shores has served as an incredible host, and it is a great championship atmosphere and experience for our student-athletes,’’ said Kristen Fasbender, director of championships/alliances for NCAA.
“The sky is the limit with the beach volleyball championship, and it will be fun to see the growth it has to offer in Gulf Shores over the next five years,” she added.
There are 60 NCAA schools, supporting approximately 1,000 beach volleyball student-athletes across the country, eligible to compete for the national championship.
On April 30, the tourney committee will select the top three teams from the East Region and the top three teams from the West Region, plus two at large teams to compete for the title at Gulf Shores Public Beach.
Those teams will travel to Gulf Shores to play in a double-elimination format with teams consisting of five pairs.
The first and second rounds and the first round of the elimination bracket will be conducted on May 5, with winning teams advancing in the championship bracket and losing teams moving to the elimination bracket. On May 6, the second and third round of the elimination bracket will be conducted with winning teams advancing in the elimination bracket. These will be followed by the third round of the championship bracket with winning team advancing to the national championship and the losing team moving to the elimination bracket.
On May 7, the final match of the elimination bracket will be conducted with winning team advancing to the national championship match.
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Future Tourney Dates
2017: May 5-7
2018: May 4-6
2019: May 3-5
2020: May 1-3
2021: May 7-9
2022: May 6-8
Schedule
Brackets will be chosen and streamed live on NCAA.com on Sunday, April 30 at 6 p.m. The schedule below is tenative. The final schedule will also be posted then.
Thursday, May 4
Team Practices 9a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Friday, May 5
Matches played 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, May 6
Matches played 1-6 p.m.
Sunday, May 7
Matches played 10:30-3 p.m.
Tickets
All tickets are available online through eventbrite at ncaa.com or at the gate.
NCAA Experience all-session passes are available for $175 and include the comfort of a covered, elevated platform looking directly onto the three championship courts, complimentary snacks, water and access to a full-service, cash bar. Reserved shaded, beachside seating is located just outside of the covered area for viewing the championship courts. New this year is courtside seating on all courts on a first come-first serve basis. Courtside seating is $30 for day passes and $75 for a weekend pass. Admission to all matches played on either Friday, Saturday or Championship Sunday. Courtside Seating on any given court is based on availability and is first come, first served. Teared seating is availaable on courts 1-3 and chair seatinhg on courts 4-5. General admission day passes are $20 daily and $45 for the weekend. Tickets include admission to all matches played on Friday, Saturday or Championship Sunday. Bleacher seating based on availability or bring your own beach towel.