Gulf Breeze beach volleyball wins state championship again

The crown has been defended.

The Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team, in just its third year of existence, has won its second state championship after beating New Smyrna Beach, 3-0, in the Class 2A title game on May 10 at Florida State in Tallahassee. Playing just until they needed to win, the Dolphins’ first three pairings that played – the two’s, four’s and five’s – secured the abbreviated sweep.

Izzy Beech and Carmyn Ferguson put Gulf Breeze up, 1-0, after beating New Smyrna’s Beach squad in the fourth pairing, 21-10 and 21-6. Then Sydney Sutter and Allie Hepworth – who helped clinch the state crown in 2024 – won in the second pairing bout with set scores of 21-9, 17-21 and 15-7.

Sienna Wnetrzak and Emma Stromsness won in the fifth pairing battle, 21-13 and 21-13, to claim the crown as the state championship match was played until a team won, not all five pairings.

Delaney Rich and Peyton McDonald, in the third pairing, had won its first set, 21-9, and was in the middle of its second set, as well. Bella Satterwhite and Estelle Reese, in the first pairing, was in its first set that didn’t finish yet.

Gulf Breeze caps off its 2025 season with the District 1-2A, Region 1-2A and now state championships, along with a 21-3 overall record. This was the first year beach volleyball had full region tournaments, and the Dolphins were not fazed at all.

The sweep against New Smyrna Beach gave Gulf Breeze back-to-back sweeps after topping Fort Myers, 5-0, in the state semifinals to go undefeated throughout the Final Four weekend in Tallahassee. It was the Dolphins’ 15th sweep overall on the season.

The Dolphins virtually returned every starter from last year, minus two, and could be in good position again next year. There are only six seniors on the roster, five of which were in the starting pairs. Meaning half of the starters could be back in 2026.