The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
LMU
Beach Volleyball caps program-best season in NCAA semifinal
05.02.2026 | Beach Volleyball
Longhorns advance to first semifinal in program history, finish 28-7.
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Texas Beach Volleyball saw its season come to a close in the NCAA Championship semifinal, falling to No. 3 seed UCLA, 3-2, on Saturday at Gulf Place. Earlier in the day, the Longhorns defeated No. 7 seed Loyola Marymount, 3-1, in the quarterfinals.
Texas finished its third season with an MPSF Championship and a program-best NCAA semifinal appearance.
The Longhorns concluded the 2026 season with a program-best 28-7 record and advanced to the semifinals for the first time in program history.
In the semifinal dual, UCLA built a 2-0 lead with wins on Courts 4 and 3. Texas responded on Court 1, where Brecht Piersma and Katie Hashman earned a 21-19, 21-19 victory. The Pavelkova pair followed with a three-set win on Court 2, 21-15, 17-21, 15-9, to even the dual at 2-2.
The match was decided on Court 5, where the Bruins secured the clinching point in an extended second set, outlasting Chloe Charles and Karin Zoinercikova.
Earlier in the quarterfinals, Texas opened with a win on Court 1 as Piersma and Hashman posted a 21-11, 21-16 victory over Loyola Marymount. Emma Grace Robertson and Lily Davis added a 21-18, 21-15 win on Court 3 to give the Longhorns a 2-0 advantage.
Loyola Marymount earned a point on Court 5, but Texas clinched the dual on Court 4, where Chloe Charles and Eva Liisa Kuivonen secured a 21-13, 21-17 victory.
Texas' No. 1 pair of Piersma and Hashman was named AVCA Collegiate Beach All-Americans, marking the first All-America honors in program history. The Longhorns added four MPSF All-Tournament selections, four weekly awards and both AVCA Collegiate Beach Coach of the Year and MPSF Coach of the Year honors, as head coach Stein Metzger became the first three-time recipient of the AVCA award.
The Longhorns earned six All-MPSF selections, including first-team honors for Hashman, Piersma and Anna Pavelkova, along with second-team recognition for Kačka Pavelkova, Emma Grace Robertson and Lily Davis. Anna Pavelkova, Kačka Pavelkova and Davis were also named to the All-Freshman Team.
#2 Texas 3, #7 LMU 1
- Brecht Piersma / Katie Hashman (Texas) def. Tanon Rosenthal / Anna Pelloia (LMU) 21-11, 21-16
- Anna Pavelkova / Kacka Pavelkova (Texas) vs. Chloe Hooker / Ines Piret (LMU) 21-14, 20-15 (UNF)
- Lily Davis / Emma Grace Robertson (Texas) def. Jaeya Brach / Magdelena Rabitsch (LMU) 21-18, 21-15
- Chloe Charles / Savannah Thomas (Texas) def. Maja Kruczek / Josefine Schaekel (LMU) 21-13, 21-17
- Ellie Davis / Katie McAlister (LMU) def. Karin Zolnercikova / Macey Butler (Texas) 21-17, 21-16
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 5, 4
#2 Texas 2, #3 UCLA 3
- Brecht Piersma / Katie Hashman (Texas) def. Sally Perez / Maggie Boyd (UCLA) 21-19, 21-19
- Anna Pavelkova / Kacka Pavelkova (Texas) def. Kaley Mathews / Ensley Alden (UCLA) 21-15, 17-21, 15-9
- Alexa Fernandez / Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Lily Davis / Emma Grace Robertson (Texas) 21-12, 21-14
- Ava Williamson / Jesse Dueck (UCLA) def. Chloe Charles / Savannah Thomas (Texas) 21-17, 21-19
- Kenzie Brower / Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Karin Zolnercikova / Macey Butler (Texas) 21-15, 28-26
Order of Finish: 4, 3, 1, 2, 5
