UCLA takes Pac-12 beach volleyball crown, photo gallery

UCLA upset top-seeded USC twice in the Pac-12 championships to claim its second Pac-12 crown at UCLA’s Mapes Beach. UCLA went 4-0 on Pac-12 championship weekend, defeating Washington (3-0), Arizona (3-0), USC (3-1), and USC (3-2).

UCLA clinched the championship at the No. 5 pair, with Rileigh Powers and Jaden Whitmarsh winning a tightly contested second set 21-17, 23-21, sending the Bruins into a celebratory frenzy.

The Bruins have won the Pac-12 title in 2018 and 2021, with USC winning in 2016 and 2017.

The final Pac-12 conference tournament standings are: 1. UCLA, 2. USC, 3. Stanford, 4. Cal, 5. (tie), Arizona, 5. (tie) Arizona State, 7. (tie) Washington, 7. (tie) Oregon, 7. (tie). Utah.

UCLA coach Stein Metzger and his Bruins were happy to get the pair of wins over USC after three previous losses this year.

“We got two really big wins in the 2s, with Lea Monkhouse and Devon Newberry,” Metzger said. “They did not get all-tournament, but if there was an All-Sunday team, it was certainly them.”

The six pairs who were awarded Pac-12 All-Tournament honors:

Jordan Polo and Ainsley Radell, Cal
Emmy Sharp and Amelia Smith, Stanford
Abby Van Winkle and Lindsey Sparks, UCLA
Rileigh Powers and Jaden Whitmarsh, UCLA
Tina Graudina and Megan Kraft, USC
Joy Dennis and Delaynie Maple, USC

UCLA is the top seed for this week’s National College Beach Championship. Enjoy our photo gallery from the Pac-12 weekend: