Look out California – your hold on beach volleyball may be slipping! This year’s National Collegiate Sand Volleyball Association’s (NCSVA) National Championship saw both men and women’s champions who weren’t Californians.

Congratulations to Troy Rieck and Shane Sigg from the University of North Texas, and Zuzana Markova and Tetiana Sukach from the University of Louisiana Monroe for winning top honors.

For the first time in the six years of the championship, a Californian team did not win the men’s final. The founder of the NCSVA, Sinjin Smith, said, “It was exciting to see college players from all over the country compete against California schools and win.”

The winners received prizes from Oakley, Honu, and Smack Sportswear, and were automatically accepted into the National Volleyball League (NVL) Qualifier Tour Championships held in September.

Participants in the championship were comprised of winners from various regional events held by the NCSVA. Winners from these regional events who went on to compete in the championship included teams from New York, Texas, and Florda.

The event was held Aug. 11 in Santa Monica, Calif., and was sponsored by Honu Sandals and the NVL.

For more information visit Originally published in November 2012