Southern Sand Volleyball

Our 2026 senior send-off hit hard in the best way. Hearing players and families share what SSV has meant to them was a reminder of how special this community is. Another chapter closes, but the impact these seniors leave behind is huge! Remember you always have a home at SSV. ❤️ 🏐

USAV Junior Beach Nationals 2026 gave us six days of elite competition in Virginia Beach, and our nineteen teams delivered one of the strongest overall performances our program has ever put on the sand. Here are some shoutouts to those that finished top 10 in their division.

18U:
Dylan and his partner Wyatt from South Carolina claimed the 18U National Championship, going undefeated and never dropping a set. It’s Dylan’s second straight year earning the title which is a rare and impressive accomplishment.

Kristina and Laney finished 9th in 18U Open, pushing the eventual champions to three sets and proving they can compete with the very best.

Charlie and Vishaal secured 5th in 18U Open, showing maturity, ball control, and high‑level ex*****on throughout the week.

16U:
Chris and Caleb powered their way to 2nd place, dominating with physicality and confidence that stood out in every match.

Jackson and Hayes earned 4th in 16U Open, putting together one of their strongest runs of the season with disciplined, clutch play.

Cole and Elliot finished 5th in 16U Open, showing grit, resilience, and clear growth from start to finish.

Clara and Grace battled through the 16U Open field and finished 9th, competing with consistency and smart decision‑making all week.

14U:
Pierre and Dom delivered a strong 5th‑place finish in 14U Open, showcasing athleticism and composure in pressure moments.

Clara and Kaylex (Beach South) also earned 5th in 14U Open, proving to be one of the most competitive pairs in the division.

Kiley and Ella finished 9th in the 14U American Division, showing toughness and steady improvement throughout the event.

Nineteen teams. Multiple podium finishes. Breakthrough performances across every age group. Nationals 2026 was a defining week for our athletes and our program.

Chris Lange and Caleb Blondin take 2nd place in 16U at USAV Junior Beach Nationals! Proving that persistence and hardwork pay off in a big way! We are proud of you guys!

Day 1 at USAV Nationals for 18U and 14U.

Elite competition, big moments, and even bigger memories. Proud of our SSV family for showing up hungry and locked in.

The grind is officially on.

Day 1 of USAV Nationals 16U is in the books.
Our nine teams showed up, battled the wind, and put together a strong opening day. We wrapped it with team dinner and team‑building to set the tone for the rest of the week. On to Day 2.

🎓 2026 Senior Shoutout: Wesley Davis🎓

My favorite ssv memory: hitting my hardest hit on Dylan and Cooper in the nc state tournament.

Advice for younger: keep playing even if your not as good as you want now. If you try hard enough you will get a lot better.

Plans: Wake Tech then hopefully NC state

Shout-out: Wyatt and Elliot

🎓2026 Senior Shout Out: Johnny Batchelder🎓

My favorite SSV memory: Playing against Charlie and Chris at the final round of a tournament and just playing my hardest.

Advice for younger players: I wouldn't compare yourself to other people and their achievements, be the best version of yourself and you'll feel improved every day.

Plans after high school: attending nc state for food science. Also planning to play volleyball there after acl recovery

Shout out to: Wyatt for perfect sets, Coach Jenny for finally making it so I can hit a ball right and Wesley for being maybe not the most motivating but a good teammate lol

Carolina Region Jr Beach Tour Championships delivered big results on Saturday! 🏆

16U Champs: Kristina & Ava
18U Runners‑Up: Lexi & Emmy J
14U Gold Champs: Clara & Nico
14U Silver Champs: Avery & Logan

Strong performances across every division.

🎓2026 Senior Shoutout: Sauraj Prathap🎓

My favorite SSV memory: The Halloween tournament

Advice for younger players: Don’t look down or get in your head after a mistake or lost point. Keep your head up!

Plans after high school: Undergrad at Carolina!

Shoutout to anyone: Jackson. He’s always there for a ball.

🎓2026 Senior Shoutout: Wyatt Kelly🎓

My favorite memory: Scoring with my head at nationals on serve receive.

Advice for younger players: Make sure to take care of your body! Stretching and eating well consistently is just as important as practicing.

Plans after high school: I plan to attend North Carolina State University as a biology major.

Shout to my parents for finding SSV. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without it!