HUNTSVILLE, Ala.— No. 14-ranked Georgia State beach volleyball posted a fourth consecutive shutout in Sun Belt Conference tournament play on Saturday, as head coach Beth Van Fleet and the top-seeded Sandy Panthers notched a 3-0 sweep against No. 3 seed Coastal Carolina to claim the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Championship Title. With the conference championship victory at the John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex, GSU will receive the league’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship being contested in Gulf Shores, Ala. from May 5-7.
Fifth-year Maddy Delmonte and sophomore Ayla Johnson secured match point for the Sandy Panthers in Saturday’s SBC title match, as the All-Sun Belt Second-Team duo secured a 21-18, 21-17 victory at the fourth flight. Sun Belt Pair of the Year Angel Ferary and Bella Ferary earned the team its first point for the dual with a 21-13, 21-18 win at the top flight, while Kelly Dorn and Elise Saga downed opponents at the third flight for the Sandy Panthers’ second point.
Dorn and Saga received the Sun Belt’s Pair of the Tournament Award to go with All-Tournament Team honors for 2023 after posting three victories at the third flight for the Sandy Panthers. Delmonte and Johnson were also named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2023 championship in Huntsville, as the pair teamed for a team-high four victories on the week.
The Sun Belt Coach of the Year for 2023, Van Fleet has now guided the No. 14 Sandy Panthers to 20 wins on the season having faced a total of 21 nationally ranked opponents this spring. The SBC Tournament saw GSU post wins in straight sets for all 14 flight-victories over the course of the team’s four-match slate.
Yasmin Kuck and Lila Bordis finished the tournament with three victories at the second flight, while Destiny White and Aliisa Vuorinen would also notch three victories as a duo at the fifth flight for GSU. The Ferary sisters teamed at the first flight for every match and secured a total of two victories as a pair with two matches unfinished, leading up a set.
No. 14 GSU enters the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Gulf Shores for a second consecutive season having posted a program-best 28-13 record a season ago that included two victories at the national tournament to advance to the round of six.
The 2023 NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Selection Show will air Sunday, April 30th at 11 a.m. ET on NCAA.com. A link to the show will be posted on the front page of NCAA.com prior to the programs’ airing.
Follow Georgia State beach volleyball on social media (@GSUBeachVb) for news and updates as the team nears the 2023 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Gulf Shores beginning May 5.
2023 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball All-Tournament Team
Pair of the Tournament: Kelly Dorn / Elise Saga, Georgia State
Maddy Delmonte / Ayla Johnson, Georgia State
Ellie Hanford / Emma Kunaus, Coastal Carolina
Sarah Riedell / Martine Kragholm, Coastal Carolina
Hallie Phelan / Taylor Pierce, Southern Miss
Gabi Bailey / Kyra Thompson, Charleston
