Beach Volleyball Colleges: A Complete List (2023) (2024)

As a growing collegiate sport, beach volleyball is currently offered by about 90 colleges across the NCAA Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 levels, as well as the NAIA and the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). However, more and more colleges are planning to add a beach volleyball program in the next few years. We’ve included a list of current beach volleyball colleges and we’ve also noted the institutions that will be adding a program in the upcoming seasons. Use these lists to help you research schools and find your best college fit, athletically, academically and socially.

Quick Links

D1 beach volleyball colleges

D2 beach volleyball colleges

D3 beach volleyball colleges

NAIA beach volleyball colleges

College beach volleyball rankings

Find beach volleyball colleges

D1 beach volleyball colleges: Join the elite beach volleyball players

There are about 54 D1 beach volleyball programs, making it the largest division for beach volleyball. D1 teams are known for their elite-level of play, physicality and power. This is the most competitive level athletically, though you might see some high-level D2 teams that are similar to D1 programs. At the D1 level, expect to play your sport year-round, with a small amount of time leftover for activities outside of beach volleyball and your schoolwork. Athletes who love the thrill of playing against the best competitors in the game usually opt to compete at this level.

Insider tip: D1 recruiting will generally start earlier than the other division levels. If you’re interested in playing at a Division 1 beach volleyball college, you should start initiating contact with college coaches your sophom*ore year and, at the latest, early your junior year.

D2 colleges with beach volleyball: Balance athletics and academics

D2 beach volleyball colleges are still highly competitive programs that recruit top athletes. The biggest differences you’ll see between D1 and D2 teams are the depth of the bench and, in many cases, the time commitment to your sport. In most cases, D2 athletes will have a little more time in their schedule to focus on academics or even pick up an extracurricular activity in the off-season. While there’s still 11 D2 schools offering beach volleyball, that number will continue to grow over the next few years.

D3 beach volleyball colleges: Get a well-rounded college experience

At the D3 level, there are only three colleges that currently offer beach volleyball. However, D3 schools have a lot to offer to student-athletes, and they are worth pursuing. D3 student-athletes have the most flexibility in their schedule to pursue other extracurricular activities outside of their sport and academics. Furthermore, some of the most academically competitive schools are found at the D3 level, ensuring student-athletes get a great education while continuing to play the sport they love.

Insider tip: D3 schools technically don’t give out athletic scholarships. However, they do provide other forms of financial aid, including academic scholarships and merit- or need-based aid. Don’t let the initial price tag deter you from D3 schools.

NAIA beach volleyball colleges: A unique college experience

For many student-athletes, the charm of the NAIA comes from its overall flexibility between athletics, academics, a social life. The athletic competition is usually compared to a D2 or upper-level D3 school, and the ability to have a well-rounded college experience is similar to the D3 level. While there are only about two NAIA beach volleyball colleges at this point, more and more NAIA schools will be adding beach volleyball in the upcoming years. It’s worth your time to research those schools and see if NAIA might be the best fit for you.

College beach volleyball rankings. What are the best beach volleyball colleges?

Student-athletes and their families consider a variety of factors when researching colleges, including cost, academics, size and location. NCSA has developed a proprietary Power Rankings system, which analyzes these factors to rank the over 70 four-year NCAA and NAIA beach volleyball colleges and determine the top 10 programs across all divisions.

University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
University of California
Stanford University
Florida State University
University of Southern California
Pepperdine University
University of Washington
California State University – Long Beach
University of California – Davis
Loyola Marymount University

View the complete NCSA Power Rankings list of top women’s beach volleyball schools.

Find beach volleyball colleges

School

City and State

Type

Conference

Division

Arizona Christian University

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona

Public

Pacific-12 Conference

NCAA D1

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

Public

ASUN Conference

NCAA D1

Ave Maria University

Ave Maria, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, California

Public

CCCAA

Benedictine University – Mesa

Mesa, Arizona

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho

Public

Mountain West Conference

NCAA D1

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Private

Independent

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Public

CJCC

Bushnell University

Eugene, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, California

Public

Big Sky Conference

NCAA D1

California State University – Bakersfield

Bakersfield, California

Public

Big West Conference

NCAA D1

California State University – Long Beach

Long Beach, California

Public

Big West Conference

NCAA D1

California State University – Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Public

Independent

NCAA D2

California State University – Northridge

Northridge, California

Public

Big West Conference

NCAA D1

California State University – Sacramento

Sacramento, California

Public

Big Sky Conference

NCAA D1

Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City, Tennessee

Private

Independent

NCAA D2

Catawba College

Salisbury, North Carolina

Private

Independent

NCAA D2

Catawba Valley Community College

Hickory, North Carolina

Public

CJCC

Cedar Valley College

Lancaster, Texas

Public

Dallas Athletic Conference

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, South Carolina

Public

Sun Belt Conference

NCAA D1

College of Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

Public

Colonial Athletic Association

NCAA D1

College of Marin

Kentfield, California

Public

California Community College Athletic Association

College of the Desert

Palm Desert, California

Public

IEAC

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado

Public

Independent

NCAA D2

Concordia University – Irvine

Irvine, California

Private

Independent

NCAA D2

Corban University

Salem, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Cypress College

Cypress, California

Public

Orange Empire Conference

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Public

Ohio Valley Conference

NCAA D1

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, Kentucky

Public

Asun Conference

NCAA D1

Eckerd College

St. Petersburg, Florida

Private

Independent

NCAA D2

El Camino College

Torrance, California

Public

CCCAA (SCFA Football)

Erskine College

Due West, South Carolina

Private

Independent

NCAA D2

Feather River College

Quincy, California

Public

Golden Valley Conference

Florida Atlantic University