GULF SHORES, Ala. — Stetson Beach Volleyball is set to compete in the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship on May 1 in Gulf Shores. The 12th-seeded Hatters will open tournament play against fifth-seeded Florida State at 11:00 a.m.
Stetson enters the championship riding consistent success, posting five consecutive 20-win seasons. The Hatters finished the regular season with a 23-9 record before dominating the ASUN Championship, sweeping the field and winning 14 consecutive matches to claim the program's eighth conference title.
Madeline Camp and
Cayla Sutton were named Pair of the Tournament after clinching the championship match on Court 5, while also earning ASUN All-Tournament Team honors alongside
Maria Ozaeta and
Marta Carro. The Hatters also swept the league's postseason awards, earning Pair of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year recognition.
Ozaeta and Carro anchored the lineup throughout the season, compiling a 20–12 record across the top two flights, including a 12–7 mark at No. 1 and 8–5 at No. 2. The duo excelled in conference play with a 6–1 record and picked up key wins over ranked opponents such as No. 13 Grand Canyon, No. 14 FAU, No. 17 North Florida, and No. 18 South Carolina (twice). Both earned First Team All-ASUN honors and carried their momentum into the postseason, earning straight-set wins over Austin Peay, Jacksonville, and FGCU before taking the opening set in the championship match against North Florida.
EJ Cudmore and
Julia Radelczuk also garnered First Team All-ASUN recognition after forming one of the conference's most reliable pairings. The duo posted a 19–12 record during the regular season, including time at both the No. 1 (7–6) and No. 2 (12–6) flights. They secured notable wins over ranked opponents such as No. 7 Florida State, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 14 FAU, and No. 17 North Florida. The pair improved to 22–12 following wins over Austin Peay, Jacksonville, and North Florida during the ASUN Championship.
Cudmore was additionally named ASUN Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team after a standout debut season competing across the top two flights. She was joined on the All-Freshman Team by
Anniina Muukka and
Zoe Flueckiger. Muukka compiled an 18–9 record across multiple positions, including a 9–4 mark at No. 3, and went 6–5 against ranked opponents with wins over No. 4 USC, No. 11 Long Beach State, No. 14 FAU, No. 17 North Florida, and No. 18 South Carolina (twice).
Flueckiger paired with
Julia Czurylo late in the season, and the duo posted a 7–5 record, primarily competing at the No. 3 flight. The pair picked up straight-set wins over Austin Peay, Jacksonville, and FGCU during the ASUN Championship to improve to 10–5 overall. Muukka later teamed with
Katie Camp in April, where the pair went 7–3 at the No. 4 position and added wins over Austin Peay and North Florida during the conference tournament.
Camp and Sutton continued to play a pivotal role throughout the season, finishing with a 17–13 overall record. In the postseason, they added key wins over Austin Peay and FGCU before clinching the ASUN Championship victory against North Florida.
Florida State enters the NCAA Championship as the fifth seed and is ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Poll. The Seminoles carry a 33–2 record into Gulf Shores and captured the Big 12 Championship with wins over Boise State, South Carolina, Arizona, and TCU. Florida State's Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig have been named finalists for the AVCA Player of the Year award and are a perfect 29–0 when paired together this season.
The Hatters and Seminoles met earlier this season in March, with Florida State earning a 4–1 victory. Stetson's lone point came from Cudmore and Radelczuk, who secured a straight-set win in the No. 2 flight.
With momentum from a dominant ASUN Championship run and a balanced lineup across all five flights, the Hatters enter Gulf Shores with confidence and experience. Facing one of the nation's top teams in Florida State, Stetson will look to carry its postseason form onto the national stage and compete for a spot in the Quarterfinals.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
