FREE ADMISSION
All matches at the 2026 AVCA Collegiate Beach National Championships Presented by Capelli Sport are free and open to the public.
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is excited to return to Huntsville, Alabama, for the 2026 AVCA Collegiate Beach National Championships. The event will feature the nation’s top collegiate beach volleyball athletes competing in both the Women’s Pairs National Championship and the Men’s Team National Championship.
Event Information
Women’s Pairs National Championship: November 6-8, 2026
Men’s Team National Championship: November 7-8, 2026
Admission: Free for all spectators
Host City & Venue
City: Huntsville, Alabama(opens in new tab)
Venue: John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex(opens in new tab)
Address: 2305 Airport Rd SW, Huntsville, AL 35801
Airport: Huntsville International Airport(opens in new tab)
Hotels: Huntsville Sports Commission Preferred Hotels(opens in new tab)
The Facility
The John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex is one of the premier beach volleyball facilities in the country. The 15-court venue features championship-quality courts, spectator viewing areas, athlete amenities, and LED lighting that allows for scheduling flexibility if weather impacts play.
Travel & Weather
November weather in Huntsville typically features temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to low-60s, creating excellent conditions for competition. Huntsville is easily accessible by air through Huntsville International Airport and is within driving distance of Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, and Memphis.
Women’s Pairs National Championship | November 6-8, 2026
The AVCA Collegiate Beach Pairs National Championship Presented by Capelli Sport brings together 64 of the nation’s top collegiate pairs from NCAA Division I and II programs. Teams earn bids through their performances during the 2026 season and qualifying events held throughout the country.
Hosted in partnership with Rally Volleyball, the Huntsville Sports Commission, and the City of Huntsville, the championship continues to showcase the growth and excitement of collegiate beach volleyball.
Automatic Bids
The following programs earned automatic bids to the 2026 AVCA Collegiate Beach Pairs National Championship Presented by Capelli Sport through NCAA Championship performance, conference championships, and the AVCA Small College Beach Championship.
| School | Bids | Bid Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boise State | 2 | Big 12, Qualifier |
| Coastal Carolina | 2 | Sun Belt, Qualifier |
| Florida State | 2 | National Championship – Final Four |
| Georgia State | 2 | National Championship, Qualifier |
| Grand Canyon | 2 | National Championship, Qualifier |
| LSU | 2 | MPSF, Qualifier |
| Missouri State | 2 | Qualifier (2) |
| South Carolina | 2 | Qualifier (2) |
| Southeastern Louisiana | 2 | Southland, Qualifier |
| Stanford | 2 | National Championship – Final Four |
| Texas | 2 | National Championship – Final Four |
| Tulane | 2 | National Championship, Qualifier |
| UCLA | 2 | National Championship – Final Four |
| UT Chattanooga | 2 | National Championship, Qualifier |
| Arizona | 1 | Qualifier |
| Arizona State | 1 | Qualifier |
| Cal Poly | 1 | National Championship |
| California | 1 | National Championship |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | C-USA |
| Hawai’i | 1 | Big West |
| Lindenwood | 1 | OVC |
| LMU | 1 | National Championship |
| Long Beach State | 1 | National Championship |
| North Florida | 1 | ASUN |
| Oregon | 1 | Qualifier |
| Santa Clara | 1 | West Coast |
| Southern California | 1 | National Championship |
| Stetson | 1 | National Championship |
| Tampa | 1 | SSC |
| TCU | 1 | National Championship |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 1 | National Championship |
| Texas A&M-Kingsville | 1 | Small College Championship |
| UT Martin | 1 | Qualifier |
| Washington | 1 | Qualifier |
*Remaining championship field positions will be filled through AVCA qualifying events.
Qualifiers
The road to Huntsville runs through qualifying events across the country. These tournaments provide athletes an opportunity to earn bids and compete for a national championship berth.
Men’s Team National Championship | November 7-8, 2026
The AVCA Men’s Collegiate Beach Team National Championship Presented by Capelli Sport will feature eight collegiate programs competing in dual-match team competition to determine the national champion.
Held alongside the Women’s Pairs Championship, the event highlights the continued growth of men’s collegiate beach volleyball while providing student-athletes with a true national championship experience.
Event Partners
Thank you to Capelli Sport and Baden for supporting the AVCA Collegiate Beach National Championships.
Special thanks to the Huntsville Sports Commission, the City of Huntsville, and Rally Volleyball for their partnership.
