The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
11/5/2026 6:17:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four members of the UAB beach volleyball team will compete at the 2026 AVCA Collegiate Beach Pairs National Championship, Nov. 6-8, at the John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Blazers will be represented by two pairs, Sadie Sharpe and Ashley Torsone, along with Pien Grooters and Virginia Voitier, who earned spots in the 64-pair national championship field featuring some of the top collegiate beach volleyball players from 41 NCAA Division I and II programs.
Sharpe and Torsone enter the championship following a standout 2026 spring season in which the duo earned AVCA Top Flight recognition. The pair compiled a 13-3 record together on Court 5, helping UAB establish a program record with 26 victories and a perfect 5-0 mark in Conference USA play. Both seniors were key contributors during the Blazers' record-setting season. Sharpe, a Boone, North Carolina, native, finished with a 16-8 overall record, including a 14-3 mark on Court 5. Torsone, from Wake Forest, North Carolina, posted a 16-13 overall record with 15 victories on Court 5.
Grooters and Voitier will also represent the Blazers on the national stage. Grooters, a junior from Hengelo, Netherlands, gained valuable experience competing primarily on Court 3 during the 2026 season. The former Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman Team selection at North Alabama brings international beach volleyball experience to the UAB lineup. Voitier, a sophomore from New Orleans, Louisiana, appeared across multiple courts during her freshman campaign in 2026. Before arriving at UAB, she earned Louisiana Division III Player of the Year honors and helped lead her high school to a state championship.
"We're incredibly proud of these four young women for earning the opportunity to compete on the national stage," UAB head coach Dylynn Miller said. "Having two pairs represent UAB at this event speaks to the hard work and commitment they've put into developing their games. This is an outstanding opportunity to compete against some of the best players in the country, and I'm excited to see them represent our program in Huntsville."
The AVCA Collegiate Beach Pairs National Championship features 64 pairs competing over three days, beginning Friday and concluding with Sunday's championship match. The event is presented by Capelli Sport and returns to Huntsville for the fifth time since its inception in 2022.
Select quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Saturday, along with Sunday's third-place and championship matches, will be broadcast on ESPN+. Additional matches will be streamed on the AVCA YouTube channel.
Admission to all matches is free and open to the public.
Fans can follow the Blazers throughout the weekend using the links below:
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CLICK HERE for championship information.
- CLICK HERE for brackets and live results.
- CLICK HERE for broadcast and streaming information.
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