6 Lopes earn AVCA Top Flight honors

Grand Canyon University’s beach volleyball program continues to gain national recognition as three Lopes pairs earned AVCA Top Flight Awards, as announced Friday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

The Top Flight program, now in its seventh year, honors beach pairs who compete in at least 15 matches together at a specific flight and win at least 75 percent of those contests. In 2025, 88 pairs from 45 schools across NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and Two-Year Colleges were recognized for their elite performances.

GCU’s honorees spanned three different flights:

Flight 3: Jessica Drake (redshirt junior) and Becca Drake (sophomore) compiled a dominant 20–3 record, showcasing consistent synergy throughout the season.

Flight 4: Sophia Hladyniuk (senior) and Karynn Garrow (sophomore) led the way with a 21–6 mark.

Flight 5: Madi Bogle (senior) and Regan Holmer (redshirt junior) finished their season at 20–5.

“We made a huge jump up in the rankings this year and were competitive with virtually every team in the country,” GCU head coach Abra Rummel said. “The success of these three pairs was instrumental in that success. I am very proud of their commitment to GCU beach volleyball, and am so excited for the future of a team returning so much of its very talented starting lineup.” 

Grand Canyon Beach Volleyball capped off the 2025 season with a 23–11 overall record, highlighted by eight victories over nationally ranked opponents. The Lopes climbed to a No. 13 national ranking in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll. The team’s success was fueled by standout individual performances, including two All-Conference selections and six players earning AVCA Top Flight All-American honors across three different flights. The combination of national recognition, elite wins, and postseason accolades underscored a very successful campaign this season.