USC Women's Beach Volleyball Wins 4th Consecutive Championship, Besting Loathed Rival

A doubly satisfying result.

Mar 4, 2017; Malibu, CA, USA: Former USC Trojans Sara Hughes (14) and Kelly Claes (3). / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Right after Nicole Nourse hit the game-winning shot over the net at Gulf Beach Place in Alabama, she held out her arms as her teammates rushed her and twin sister Audrey Nourse before they fell to the sand as a team. Pure joy emitted from the Women of Troy under their visors and shades as they emerged victorious once again. The four-peat was complete.

The USC women's beach volleyball team are national champions again after defeating crosstown rival UCLA. The No. 1-ranked Trojans defeated No. 2 UCLA by a 3-0 count to take home the 2024 championship title. This is the fourth straight NCAA championship for the USC women's beach volleyball team and they have a total of six NCAA championships. This is also the second consecutive season in which the Nourse twins clinched the championship.

"We're honestly beyond grateful," Audrey told ESPN. "Gratitude is the one thing I'm feeling right now. I'm grateful for my sister, she's everything to me and I'm grateful for my teammates. USC has just been so amazing to us."

QUEENS OF THE BEACH 👑🏆#NCAABeachVB x 🎥 ESPN / @USCBeach pic.twitter.com/aHBPHQZeH6

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 5, 2024

The Nourse twins are overcome with emotion after clinching Championship Point for @USCBeach for the second straight year. 🥹#NCAABeachVB x 🎥 ESPN pic.twitter.com/UozFxlmrN6

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 5, 2024

USC is one of only two teams to win the NCAA championship for women's beach volleyball since the tournament began in 2016. They've also placed second in the tournament, and fourth, the lowest they've ever finished a season. UCLA has two national championships, making their rivalry even greater in this sport.

Faces of Champions 😃🏆#NCAABeachVB x @uscbeach pic.twitter.com/KJX67mvKZK

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 5, 2024

That post-championship drip 🌊#NCAABeachVB x @USCBeach pic.twitter.com/pAbaNTwfWv

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 5, 2024

The Trojans not only finished as champions once again, but were also well represented in the NCAA Beach Volleyball All-Tournament Team. USC's Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple, twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse, and Grace Seits and Ashley Prater made up three of the five pairs to be named to the All-Tournament Team.

The 2024 #NCAABeachVB All-Tournament Team 👏 pic.twitter.com/5JCyv1l945

— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 5, 2024

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