Beach Volleyball Opens Season in Jacksonville for Dolphin Duals

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – South Carolina beach volleyball opens the 2026 spring season in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Dolphin Duals weekend tournament.

The weekend schedule consists of four matches: two on Friday, two on Saturday. The Gamecocks will face No. 17 North Florida (8 a.m.) and Florida Gulf Coast (noon) on Friday. On Saturday, South Carolina will take on Jacksonville (10 a.m.) and No. 14 Stetson (3 p.m.)

The 2026 season marks the beginning of several new eras for the Gamecocks. Head coach Jose Loiola begins his first season at the helm for South Carolina and the program competes in its first season as a member of the Big 12 conference. The former Olympic standout enters his first season in Columbia after previously serving as an assistant coach at UCLA. In the spring of 2025, Loiola was recognized as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Collegiate Beach Assistant Coach of the Year after UCLA went 30-6 in the regular season and earned the top seed in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the national semifinal.

South Carolina joined the Big 12 Conference in September alongside Boise State and Florida State, joining Arizona, Arizona State and TCU. The Gamecocks previously competed in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA).

The Gamecocks finished the 2025 season 9-12 overall and 0-2 in conference play. South Carolina returns 12 members of their 2025 roster alongside six newcomers (four transfers and two freshmen). Senior Sadie Nelson emerged as one of the team’s most reliable presences, securing an 11-10 overall record last season. Nelson consistently hovered around .500 or better across multiple pairings. Junior Evie Ziffer recorded a 10-8 record and was 6-3 when paired with senior VB Trost.

Sophomore transfer Brooke Balue was a key starter as a true freshman at Washington. She helped UW advance to its first NCAA Championships after going 17-14 in dual matches, all at the #4 or #5 position. Annalyse Askew (Arizona State), Grace Travis (Saint Mary’s) and Amelia Taft (LSU) make up the rest of the portal additions.