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:
- Stanford’s Charlie Ekstrom bounces a set/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Caroline Schafer strains for the dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Arizona defender Alana Rennie gets an open net/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Megan Kraft’s hair flips over in celebration/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Delaynie Maple celebrates with Joy Dennis/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Caroline Schafer celebrates a Cal block/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Maya Harvey runs down a ball/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Rileigh Powers digs up a net serve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Maddie Dailey (left) and Jordan McKinney celebrate/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Jordan Polo and Ainsley Radell vie for the middle serve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Audrey Nourse gets an open net/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Oregon’s Carly Wallace (left) and Madelyn LaFollette communicate on the middle ball/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Arizona’s Dana Parker makes a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Lea Monkhouse brings up a net serve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Tina Graudina celebrates a block/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal celebrates the dual win/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Megan Kraft hits at the retreating blocker/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Xolani Hodel comes off the block to dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- The Cal bench joins Jordan Polo and Ainsley Radell in celebration/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Utah’s Grace Anders hits the sand/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Sunny Villapando watches the ball after a running save/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Xolani Hodel goes with the jump back pokey/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA dogpiles Jaden Whitmarsh and Rileigh Powers/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Jordan McKinney extends for the dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Hailey Harward stretches for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Sammy Slater tries to get to the dig through Julia Scoles/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Lexy Denaburg chases a dig near USC coach Laurel Weaver as Haley Hallgren tries to pull her out of harm’s way/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Nicole Nouse makes a diving save/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Mima Mirkovic stretches for the save/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Savvy Simo takes advantage of the open net/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Washington’s Hannah Yerex digs/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Hailey Harward picks up a shot/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Tina Graudina prepares to serve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Caroline Schafer tries to play a dig over/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Jaden Whitmarsh celebrates a kill/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Lea Monkhouse lays out for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Washington’s Shayne McPherson goes all out for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Charlie Ekstrom releases her emotions/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Washington’s Shayne McPherson digs a Savvy Simo spike/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Arizona’s Alana Rennie makes an athletic save/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- The UCLA bench begins the celebration/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Maya Harvey has an emotional win/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Ainsley Radell (left) jousts with Stanford’s Maya Harvey/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Utah’s Olivia Teerlink chases down a shot/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Mima Mirkovic celebrates/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- ASU’s Lexi Sweeney makes a one-handed save/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- ASU’s Emily Anderson plays a lefty savve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- ASU’s Emily Anderson saves a ball out of the net/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Maya Gessner chases a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Mima Mirkovic scrambles for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Hailey Harward makes a splash/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- USC’s Tina Graudina and Megan Kraft celebrate/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Cal’s Mima Mirkovic throws sand in celebration/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- Stanford’s Sunny Villapando chases down the cut/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
- UCLA’s Devon Newberry celebrates a block/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
This happened last weekend. It’s not news.