No. 2 USC Beach Volleyball Treks to SLO for Center of Effort Challenge

Women’s Beach Volleyball | April 11, 2023

LOS ANGELES – The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (21-1) rides an 11-dual win streak up to California’s central coast for the Center of Effort Challenge this weekend (April 14-15). Hosted by Cal Poly at the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex, the Trojans will face No. 4 Florida State (27-4), No. 6 Loyola Marymount (21-4), and No. 11 Long Beach State (19-11) in pool matches before a fourth opponent to be determined by pool results. The Women of Troy are 8-0 all-time in San Luis Obispo and their next win would be the program’s national-best 300th all-time victory and the 95th in head coach Dain Blanton‘s career.

THIS WEEK

Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex • San Luis Obispo, Calif.

CENTER OF EFFORT CHALLENGE

MATCH #23 • Friday, April 14 • 12:30 p.m. PT

No. 2 USC (21-1) vs. No. 6 Loyola Marymount (21-4)

SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 24-0 (1.000)

STREAK: Won 24 • LAST 10: 10-0

LAST MEETING: W 3-2 (Apr. 15, 2022 • San Luis Obispo)

OPPONENT WEBSITE: LMULions.com

MATCH #24 • Friday, April 14 • 3 p.m. PT

No. 2 USC (21-1) vs. No. 4 Florida State (27-4)

SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 19-5 (.792)

STREAK: Won 6 • LAST 10: 9-1

LAST MEETING: W 3-2 (Mar. 31, 2023 • Manhattan Beach)

OPPONENT WEBSITE: Seminoles.com

MATCH #25 • Saturday, April 15 • 10:15 a.m. PT

No. 2 USC (21-1) vs. No. 11 Long Beach State (19-11)

SERIES HISTORY: USC leads, 14-5 (.734)

STREAK: Won 13 • LAST 10: 10-0

LAST MEETING: W 4-1 (Mar. 11, 2023 • Merle Norman Stadium)

OPPONENT WEBSITE: LongBeachState.com

BARE E-SAND-SHELLS • TL;DR

• USC is the back-to-back defending NCAA champion and owns five national titles including the first NCAA crown in 2016 (AVCA ’15, NCAA ’17, ’21, ’22).
• USC has also won four Pac-12 championships (2016, ’17, ’19, ’22).
• USC is 94-11 (.895) under fourth-year head coach Dain Blanton.
• The Trojans are ranked No. 2 in the AVCA and CBVB polls. It is the 96th time (of 96) USC is ranked by the AVCA; its 95th time in the top 5. The Trojans have also been ranked No. 1 a record 41 times.
• The Women of Troy are on an active 11-dual win streak. It is USC’s…