TAMPA, Fla., November 17, 2024 – USF's Samantha Crosby and Audrey Gauthier competed at the Third Annual AVCA Beach Pairs National Championships, held November 15-17, 2024, at the John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex in Huntsville, Alabama. Facing the top 64 pairs in collegiate beach volleyball, the duo represented the Bulls over three days of competition.
Day 1 – Friday, November 15
Crosby and Gauthier began pool play on Friday morning with a match against the University of Southern California (USC) at 10:00 AM. They later faced South Carolina (SC) at 1:00 PM. Both matches provided valuable experience for the pair as they competed against strong opponents.
Day 2 – Saturday, November 16
The Bulls pair earned their first victory of the tournament on Saturday in a match against Liberty University at 11:00 AM, winning both sets 21-17 and 21-19. Later in the day, at 2:00 PM, they fell to Coastal Carolina University (17-21, 16-21) in another competitive match.
Day 3 – Sunday, November 17
On the final day of the tournament, Crosby and Gauthier competed in the single-elimination bracket. Facing the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) at 10:00 AM, the match went to three sets. The pair fell to UAB, concluding their run in the tournament (21-18, 16-21, 13-15).
This event marked Samantha Crosby's first appearance at the AVCA Championships and the second for Audrey Gauthier.
About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is one of the newest sports at the university, bringing USF Athletics to a total of 21 teams and marking an exciting era for the Bulls. Pri Piantadosi-Lima was named South Florida's first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. Coach Pri also serves as the head coach of the beach national team development program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining USF, she helped lead Eckerd College to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes. USF Beach Volleyball will join Conference USA effective July 1, 2025, and compete in exhibition-style matches until officially starting Division I competition during the 2025-2026 season.
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– #GoBulls –
