DEATH VOLLEY INVITATIONAL
LSU BEACH VOLLEYBALL STADIUM
BATON ROUGE, LA
 
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
NO. 9 CAL VS. BOISE STATE | 7:15 A.M. PT/9:15 A.M. CT | BIG TEN NETWORK PLUS
NO. 9 CAL VS. NO. 6 FLORIDA STATE | 1:30 P.M. PT/3:30 P.M. CT | BIG TEN NETWORK PLUS
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
NO. 9 CAL VS. GEORGIA STATE | 11 A.M. PT/1 P.M. CT | BIG TEN NETWORK PLUS
NO. 9 CAL VS. NO. 4 TEXAS | 1:30 P.M. PT/3:30 P.M. CT | BIG TEN NETWORK PLUS
 
 
The No. 9 California beach volleyball team will be tested again this weekend at the Death Volley Invitational at LSU as the Golden Bears will face four more formidable opponents, including two ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Cal (11-5) , coming off a strong showing at last week's East Meets West Invitational that produced two victories over ranked opponents and resulted in an MPSF Pair of the Week nod for Gia Fisher and Ava Haughy, is slated to take on No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Florida State, Boise State and Georgia State at the LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium.

Of their 16 duals this season, the Bears have faced off against nationally ranked foes in 12 of them. They are 6-6 in those contests, with five of the six defeats coming by a 3-2 score. Cal has already played Texas twice this season and both resulted in 3-2 losses.

 
RANKINGS TALK
The Bears moved up one spot to No. 9 in this week's AVCA Collegiate Beach Poll after spending the previous three weeks in the No. 10 spot. Cal began the season ranked No. 9.

All-Americans Emma Donley and Portia Sherman are the fourth-ranked pair in the country this week, according to TruVolley.

FISHER, HAUGHY NAMED MPSF PAIR OF THE WEEK
Senior Gia Fisher and junior Ava Haughy were named the MPSF Pair of the Week on Tuesday after going 4-0 at the East Meets West Invitational in Manhattan Beach. Playing as Cal's No. 3 pair, Fisher and Haughy knocked off opponents from three ranked opponents – including two in the top 10. Fisher and Haughy also produced when it mattered most, winning three tightly contested, three-set matches along the way.

Fisher and Haughy became the first Cal pair to win a weekly conference award since Liz Waters-Leiga and Sierra Caffo were named the Pac-12 Pair of the Week in 2023.

SHERMAN, DONLEY AMONG NATION'S BEST
Senior Portia Sherman and junior Emma Donley are among the top pairs in the country this season. After becoming the first AVCA First Team All-Americans in program history last season, Sherman and Donley are 15-1 this year playing as Cal's top pair. They especially made some noise during the opening weekend of the season, when the duo went 4-0 – all against ranked opponents – at the Outrigger DUKE Kahanamoku Beach Classic in Honolulu. Sherman and Donley are the fourth-ranked pair in the nation this week, according to TruVolley.

DONLEY ON PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Junior Emma Donley has been named to the first-ever AVCA Collegiate Beach Player of the Year watch list for 2026, recognizing her as one of the nation's top talents. Donley, alongside partner Portia Sherman, was an AVCA First Team All-American and First Team All-MPSF selection in 2025. The duo set Cal program records for single-season pair wins (27) and Court 1 wins (21) last season, including 17 victories against ranked opponents. They are off to a 15-1 start this season and ranked No. 4 nationally by TruVolley.

NEW FACES MAKING WAVES
Cal's lineup features several impactful transfers who have quickly found their rhythm in Berkeley. Junior Ava Haughy, who joined the Bears from Arizona State, has teamed up with senior Gia Fisher to go 14-3 playing at No. 2 and No. 3. The duo was named the MPSF Pair of the Week on Tuesday. Haughy was a mainstay in the Sun Devils' lineup for two seasons, going 18-15 as a sophomore and 14-14 during her freshman year. Junior Grace Hong, a transfer from USC, has formed a solid partnership with senior Marilu Pally, going 9-3 so far this season. Hong is 11-6 overall on the year. Graduate student Mila Yarich, who played four seasons of indoor volleyball at Yale, has transitioned to the sand and has been a regular in Cal's lineup. Sophomore Elle Evers, who came to Berkeley from LSU, has played most of the season at No. 4 or No. 5 this year as well.

NEW HOME
The Bears will move into a new facility in 2027 – the Banatao Family Beach Volleyball Stadium. The project is being partially funded by Cal's successful Gender Equity Campaign that raised $8 million and allows for the campus' continued commitment to and compliance with Title IX – the landmark federal law that was enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving any type of financial aid.

HEAD COACH MEAGAN OWUSU
Head Coach Meagan Owusu is in her 10th season at the helm at Cal and has established the Bears as a consistent national power. Cal has qualified for each of the past four NCAA Championships and has ended the season ranked in the top 12 for eight straight years – including four straight top-10 finishes. Owusu was also a defensive specialist for Cal's indoor program from 2007-2010 and helped the Bears reach their only two NCAA Final Fours in history.

 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal beach volleyball, follow the Bears on Instagram (@calbeachvb) and X (@calbeachvb).