Beach volleyball championship format to change in 2023

The Division I Competition Oversight Committee, during a virtual call Wednesday, approved a change to make the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship a 16-team, single-elimination event, starting in 2023.

Under the new format, eight first-round duels will be conducted on the first day of the three-day event. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played on the second day.

The remaining two teams will play the championship contest on the final day of the tournament.

Last May, the Beach Volleyball Championship was played with a 16-team field for the first time. Eight single-elimination, first-round duels were played on the first day of the four-day event. The remaining eight teams then played the traditional double-elimination format over the final three days of the event.

After reviewing the 2022 championship and receiving feedback from the student-athletes and coaches, the NCAA Women’s Beach Volleyball Committee recommended the 16-team, single-elimination format.

While the format is a departure from what has traditionally been conducted at the championship, it places it in line with most NCAA championships.

Also, in 2023, the NCAA Women’s Beach Volleyball Committee will select teams on a national basis rather than be required to select a certain number of teams from each geographic region.

With the bracket expansion and the addition of automatic qualifiers, the committee determined that a national selection process should be implemented.