A season to remember for the Chattanooga beach volleyball squad came to a close on Friday at the 2025 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships, as the No. 16 seed Sandy Mocs fell to top-seeded UCLA 3-0 in the opening round of the tournament in Gulf Shores.
After going back-to-back as Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament champions, the Mocs (26-6, 10-0 OVC) looked to put the Scenic City on the beach volleyball map as they took center stage on national TV against the No. 1 seeded Bruins (31-6).
UTC leaves Gulf Shores having done just that, as the Sandy Mocs can hang their hats on competing with one of the top beach volleyball programs in the country.
“A team like this and a year like this, you just never really want it to end,” head coach Darin Van Horn said. “I’m just so proud of everybody and the way that they’ve battled throughout the year. I have all these memories from this year and I just don’t want them to stop, but every great thing has to come to a close.
“I think we can be proud of the way we showed up and competed against UCLA. Obviously they got the best of us, but as the No. 1 seed in the tournament you expect them to be tough and handle their business, and we still had some great back-and-forths with them. I think we shocked them and probably some other people watching with how well we competed today.”
The Sandy Mocs will now say goodbye to a group of four impactful seniors that have truly left their mark on Chattanooga beach volleyball. Neva Clark, Joy Courtright, Paige Gallentine and Kit Gresham leave having built up a foundation for the future of the program, while also leaving behind a legacy that no one can take away from them.
“For us to go out swinging today, I think we should all be proud of ourselves,” Coach Van Horn added. “A lot of tears and a lot of hugs were had, but this was definitely one that we’re all going to remember for a very long time.”
No. 16 Chattanooga vs. No. 1 UCLA – L, 0-3
With the ESPN2 cameras rolling and the bleachers packed at Gulf Beach Place, the Sandy Mocs came into their matchup against the No. 1 seeded UCLA Bruins with one thing in mind: putting Chattanooga beach volleyball on the map. While the overall 3-0 result may not have gone in UTC’s favor, the team still leaves Gulf Shores having accomplished its goal.
The Mocs put together admirable performances across all five courts of action, most noticeably in the opening sets on Courts 1, 2 and 5. Starting first on Court 1, the top-flight pair of Neva Clark and Corina Vale left every last ounce out on the sand against a pair of All-Americans for the Bruins. Clark and Vale were able to hang tight with the UCLA duo, only falling 21-17 in the opening frame before eventually losing the second 21-10.
The match marked the end of Clark’s collegiate career, one that consists of countless awards, honors, records and memories. The three-time OVC Player of the Year concludes her time at UTC as the program’s all-time winningest player.
UTC’s Court 2 pair of McKenna Faychak and Maddie Lecik had an unbelievable performance for the Mocs, pushing UCLA’s No. 2 pairing to a 21-18 result in the first set and going unfinished overall. The same can be said on Court 5, as Ansley Gulledge and Sydney Jackwin also dropped a very narrow 21-18 first set before their match went unfinished on the day.
On Court 3, the senior duo of Paige Gallentine and Kit Gresham saw their Sandy Moc careers come to a close as they would drop a pair of 21-12 sets to give UCLA yet another point on the board. The match would not conclude, however, without Gallentine showcasing some astounding digs on defense alongside Gresham tallying not one, but two of her patented windmill kills.
And finally, the No. 4 pairing of Joy Courtright and Julia Lawrence marked the clinching blow for the Bruins as UCLA would pick up a 21-11, 21-16 match win to seal a 3-0 victory over the Mocs. The match also marked the end of yet another illustrious career, as Joy Courtright made her final appearance in a UTC uniform.
Mocs fans have plenty to be excited about for next season, as starters Vale, Faychak, Lecik, Lawrence, Gulledge and Jackwin are all set to return to the team’s 2026 squad.
1. Sally Perez/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Neva Clark/Corina Vale (UTC) 21-17, 21-10
2. McKenna Faychak/Maddie Lecik (UTC) vs. Peri Brennan/Natalie Myszkowski (UCLA) 18-21, 11-16 unfinished
3. Jessie Smith/Kenzie Brower (UCLA) def. Kit Gresham/Paige Gallentine (UTC) 21-12, 21-12
4. Alexa Fernandez/Kaley Mathews (UCLA) def. Joy Courtright/Julia Lawrence (UTC) 21-11, 21-16
5. Ansley Gulledge/Sydney Jackwin (UTC) vs. Harper Cooper/Ensley Alden (UCLA) 18-21, 11-15 unfinished
Order of finish: 3, 1, 4