The 2025 Big West Beach Volleyball Championship is set to bring the action to an iconic setting, with Ocean Park Beach in Santa Monica playing host to the league’s seven squads on April 24 and 25. For the first time in its history, the Championship will take place at the historic site widely recognized as the birthplace of two-player beach volleyball, adding even more prestige to this year's title chase.
Returning for a second year is the Championship’s revamped format, which opens with modified pool play on Thursday before transitioning into a single-elimination bracket on Friday. Thursday’s matchups will determine which six teams advance to Day 2, where a Big West champion will be crowned and the conference’s automatic bid to the 2025 National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship will be awarded.
Seeding for the Championship was determined using a mathematical index that takes into account both institutional and opponent winning percentages. The final numbers yielded a highly competitive field, with sixth-ranked Cal Poly earning the No. 1 seed. Long Beach State, listed in 10th in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll, is the No. 2 seed followed by third-seeded and 16th ranked Hawai’i rounding out the top three teams. Championship host CSUN secured the fourth seed, just edging out UC Davis. Cal State Bakersfield and Sacramento State claim the final two positions at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively.
Thursday’s action will unfold across two pools. Pool A, composed of the top-seeded Cal Poly alongside CSUN and UC Davis, follows a round-robin format that will determine placement for Friday, and the Matadors and Aggies open up the event at 9:30 a.m. Pool B features the No. 2 Long Beach State, No. 3 Hawai’i, No. 6 Cal State Bakersfield, and No. 7 Sacramento State with morning matchups between the Rainbow Wahine and Roadrunners and the Beach and Hornets determining the final slate of afternoon matchups.
All three Pool A squads advance to Friday’s single-elimination bracket, with just three of the Pool B teams making it to the second day of play.
Friday’s single-elimination round begins bright and early at 8:30 a.m. with two first round contests between the second- and third-place teams from each pool crossing over to compete against each other. The winners will advance to meet the top finishers in pool play, who earn byes into the semifinals.
The 2024 title went to third-seeded Hawai’i, who captured their fourth conference crown in thrilling fashion with a 3-2 victory over Long Beach State. The ’Bows were joined by LBSU and Cal Poly in the National Collegiate brackets marking the first time three Big West teams earned national postseason bids.
Since Big West sports-sponsorship of beach volleyball began in 2016, only three programs have hoisted the Big West trophy: Hawai’i (2016, 2017, 2018, 2024), Cal Poly (2019, 2021, 2022), and Long Beach State (2023). With the top three teams again tightly packed but all seven teams poised for the postseason, this year’s battle promises elite matchups and high-stakes drama at the heart of beach volleyball history in Santa Monica.
2025 Big West Beach Volleyball Championship
Day 1 | Pool Play | Thursday, April 25
Match 1 – 9:30 a.m. | No. 4 seed CSUN vs. No. 5 seed UC Davis (Pool A)
Match 2 – 10:45 a.m. | No. 3 seed Hawai’i vs. No. 6 seed Cal State Bakersfield (Pool B)
Match 3 – Noon | No. 1 seed Cal Poly vs. No. 5 seed UC Davis (Pool A)
Match 4 – 1:15 p.m. | No. 2 seed Long Beach State vs. No. 7 seed Sacramento State (Pool B)
Match 5 – 2:30 p.m. | No. 1 seed Cal Poly vs. No. 4 seed CSUN (Pool A)
Match 6 –3:45 p.m. | Match 2 winner vs. Match 4 winner (Pool B)
Match 7 –5 p.m. | Match 2 loser vs. Match 4 loser (Pool B) - elimination match
Day 2 | Bracket Play | Friday, April 26
- playing to clinch
Match 8 – 8:30 a.m. | Pool A Second Seed vs. Pool B Third Seed
Match 9 – 9:45 a.m. | Pool B Second Seed vs. Pool A Third Seed
Match 10 – 11 a.m. | Pool B First Seed vs. Match 8 Winner
Match 11 – 12:15 p.m. | Pool A First Seed vs. Match 9 Winner
Match 12 – 2:15 p.m. | Match 10 Winner vs. Match 11 Winner