TAMPA, Fla., October 27, 2025 – The University of South Florida beach volleyball team turned in strong performances Saturday on the opening day of the AVCA Collegiate Beach West Qualification Tournament at Huntington Beach Pier, competing against some of the nation's top programs like UCLA, USC, Florida State, Long Beach State, Hawai'i and Washington.
 
In Bid Division competition, Zoey Mitchell and Josephine Sek faced elite opposition, taking both No. 3 UCLA and Pepperdine to three sets, with each match decided by just two points after opening against Boise State 1s. On Sunday, the pair played Boise State 3s to a decisive third set, falling 13-15.
 
Morgan Anderson and Abigail Lagemann pushed Boise State 2s (receiving votes for national ranking) to a third set, falling narrowly 13-15 in the final frame. The duo also faced nationally ranked opponents No. 8 Florida State and No. 10 Long Beach State, along with Saint Mary's, where they dropped a tightly contested first set 19-21. 
 
In the College AA Division, Cornelia Crudu and Julia Panko finished third in Pool Five behind No. 10 Long Beach State and CSUN, earning two-set wins over Concordia and Saint Mary's, while narrowly falling to Washington in three sets — with two sets decided by just two points. In Pool Seven, Tereza Lajkebová and Sasha Pasloski also placed third after battling No. 19 Hawai'i and CSUN, highlighted by a two set victory over No. 20 Washington and a sweep of Concordia before falling to Long Beach State.
 
 
In College A Division play, three South Florida pairs went undefeated on Saturday to top their respective pools. Ariana Medchill and Kate Stewart went 2-0, defeating CSUN and UC Davis in straight sets to secure first place in their pool. The duo continued their dominant run through bracket play, sweeping Hawai'i 2-0 and defeating two different Boise State pairs to capture the College A Division championship, finishing the weekend undefeated.
 
Isabella Almeida and Alyx Zapatka also went 2-0 in pool play, earning straight-set wins over UC Davis and No. 19 Hawai'i. In bracket play, the pair battled tough competition, taking both Washington and Boise State to three sets before narrowly falling in each match. Almeida and Zapatka finished the weekend with an overall record of 2-2.
 
Gabrielle Bissell and Ryann Genest continued the Bulls' momentum, sweeping CSUN and Boise State to finish atop their pool on Saturday. In bracket play, the duo fell to Hawai'i and Boise State, closing out the weekend with an overall record of 2-2.
 
Lola Hufnagel and Aracelys Sanchez defeated CSUN in three sets and Vanguard in two before falling to No. 20 Washington, finishing 2-1 in pool play to place second behind the Huskies. On Sunday, the pair added two more straight-set victories over Vanguard and Concordia to close out an impressive weekend with an overall record of 4-1.
 
Although the Bulls did not secure a bid this weekend, the tournament served as a valuable opportunity for the program to compete against some of the nation's top teams and gain high-level experience on the sand. Facing nationally ranked opponents and programs provided meaningful development and exposure for South Florida's young team as it continues to build momentum and establish itself on the national stage.

Up Next
USF concludes its fall exhibition slate with two final events: the AVCA Beach National Championships on Nov. 7–9 in Huntsville, Ala., where one pair will compete against the nation's best pairs, and the UAB Tournament on Nov. 8–9, where the remaining Bulls pairs will wrap up the fall season.
 
About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is one of the newest additions to USF Athletics, becoming the 21st varsity sport at the university and marking an exciting new era for the Bulls. Led by Head Coach Pri Piantadosi-Lima, who was named South Florida's first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. A nationally recognized leader in the sport, Coach Pri also serves as the head coach of the U.S. Beach National Team Development Program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining USF, she guided Eckerd College to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes. USF Beach Volleyball officially competes at the NCAA Division I level as a member of Conference USA, beginning with the 2025–26 season. The Bulls continue to build a championship foundation through elite competition, culture, and player development as they take their place among the nation's top collegiate beach programs.


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