Back-to-back national champs – Gulf Breeze News

The two-time state champion GBHS Lady Dolphin beach volleyball team were crowned Maxpreps’ National Champions on Thursday morning, becoming the first team in school history to win multiple national championships. Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News

It’s been nearly three weeks since the Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team repeated as state champions. Last Thursday, they repeated again — but this one was even bigger.

Maxpreps.com, a website that follows high school sports, released its final beach volleyball poll in the middle of the night on May 22. For the second straight year, Gulf Breeze was named its National Champion.

It marks the first time in school history that a GBHS team has won back-to-back national championships. The Lady Dolphin soccer team

“We are very proud of this unprecedented achievement, as it represents the team’s commitment, hard work, and dedication to their team and sport,” GBHS Principal Sarah Barker said.

“This team of phenomenal student athletes represents the best of GBHS and the Gulf Breeze community as a whole.”

The Lady Dolphins, who have eight Division I signees or commits, finished the season 21-3 after beating New Smyrna Beach 3-0 to win the Class 2A state championship May 10 at Florida State University.

Gulf Breeze beat Fort Myers 5-0 in the semifinals to advance to the state title match.

“It’s pretty surreal to see our schools name up there in that number one spot again. I don’t think we mentioned it once all season,” GBHS head coach Chelsea Kroll said. “We just kept our focus on where our feet were. It wasn’t until after states when I looked up and saw where that focus had gotten us. I feel proud that this group of girls gets to represent Gulf Breeze High school in a nationally recognized way.”

Florida’s three state champions held the top three spots in the final national poll’

Tampa’s Berkeley Prep, who beat Gulf Breeze twice over spring break, finished second, while 3A state champion Jupiter finished third.

GBHS, ranked second in Class 2A at the time, edged top-ranked Chiles 3-2 in the regional final in Tallahassee. It was their second win over Chiles this season, who finished fifth in the national poll (the highest spot for a non state champion).

Gulf Breeze also had wins this season over Jacksonville-based Bishop Kenny (11th), and Fletcher (12th), 19th-ranked Fort Myers, 21st-ranked New Smyrna Beach and 22nd-ranked Beachside.

GBHS, who had eight of its top 10 back after the 2024 title run, will have five of this year’s top 10 players back (juniors Estelle Reese, Sydney Sutter, Allie Hepworth and Peyton McDonald and sophomores Emma Stromsness).