New Braunfels, Texas – The American Southwest Conference is excited to announce that beginning with the 2026-27 academic, it will sponsor a conference championship in beach volleyball. Beach volleyball became an official NCAA sport in 2015 when it became the NCAA’s 90th Championship sport.
NCAA beach volleyball competes in pairs with 10 student-athletes forming five pairs. Each pair plays a best-of-three match, with the first two sets played to 21 points using rally scoring. If a third deciding set is needed, it is played to 15. The pair that wins two sets earns one point for its team, and the first team to secure three points wins the overall match.
Beach volleyball matches must be played on sand surfaces established by the institutions.
Each year during the spring the NCAA operates a National Collegiate Championship that could include teams from all three divisions if they receive an at-large bid. Small colleges can also select to play in the annual AVCA Small College Beach Championships held during the spring semester.
During the 2026-27 season, the ASC will be the first NCAA Division III conference to sponsor a conference championship in beach volleyball. East Texas Baptist, Howard Payne, Mary Hardin-Baylor, and Schreiner will all sponsor the sport and compete for the inaugural ASC Beach Volleyball Conference Championship.
“Today marks an exciting milestone for our conference,” said ASC Commissioner Leslie Schuemann. “The addition of beach volleyball reflects our commitment to expanding opportunities for student-athletes and embracing sports that are growing across the nation. We look forward to seeing our teams compete on the sand and to the new energy this sport will bring to our campuses and our fans.”
For more information about ASC beach volleyball visit ascsports.org.