
Photo by: Wyatt Streett
No. 20 Tulane Concludes Green Wave Invitational with Pair of Wins
Feb 21, 2026 | Women's Beach Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS – The 20th-ranked Tulane beach volleyball program posted a 2-1 record on the final day of the Gren Wave Invitational Saturday. The Wave punctuated the day with a dominant 5-0 triumph over New Orleans at White Sands Volleyball Courts to move to 2-3 overall on the young season.
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Tulane's top flight of Katie Hansen and Emma Morris highlighted the day for Tulane as the duo went undefeated across their three duals. All three victories came via the sweep.
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Tulane opened the day with a 3-2 victory over Oregon to secure the team's first triumph of the season. The Wave secured victories at the first, second, and fourth flights to notch the triumph. At the first flight, Katie Hansen and Emma Morris notched a sweep (21-16, 21-15). Skylar Ensign and Molly Trodd secured their own sweep at the No. 2 flight, outlasting a 24-22 battle in the first set before notching a 21-11 triumph in the second. Tulane dropped a sweep at the third flight and fell in three at the five, but at No. 4, Avery Burks and Gigi Gallegos earned a hard-fought three-set win to seal the dual. Despite Oregon edging out the first set 21-19, the pair rallied in the second for a 21-16 win to force the winner-take-all frame. This turned into a marathon that the Wave tandem won 19-17.
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In the afternoon, Tulane battled South Florida for the first time as the Bulls are playing their inaugural season. It was another tight contest, but USF pulled out a 3-2 win. Hansen and Morris again tallied a sweep at the top flight with scores of 21-11 and 23-21. The Bulls won in a sweep at the second flight, but at No. 3 Amirah Ali and Sam O'Connor earned a 21-19, 21-10 sweep for Tulane. At the fourth pair, Burks and Gallegos battled hard to force a third set, dropping the first 21-15 before a 21-17 win in the second. The third frame turned into a marathon, but USF held just firm enough to win 20-18. The fifth flight also went three sets, but the Bulls won with scores of 21-17, 18-21, 15-10. The Wave did win the exhibition sixth flight as Gabbi Kucinski and Lauren Mann notched a 21-14, 21-8 sweep.
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The Wave closed out the day in fashion, dispatching crosstown foe New Orleans 5-0 without dropping a single set. Hansen and Morris posted their third sweep of the day at No. 1 (21-12, 21-14). At the second flight, Ensign and Trodd posted a 21-18, 21-15 victory. The third flight of Ali and O'Connor recorded their sweep via scores of 21-10 and 21-16. Kucinski and Mann swept at No. 4, 21-17 and 22-20. Closing out the full sweep of the Privateers was the fifth flight of McKenzie Cutler and Giorgia Walther as they notched set wins of 21-12 and 21-11. Even the exhibition sixth flight was a Tulane sweep, as Gabby Dwyer made her collegiate debut alongside Gallegos. They notched a 21-15, 21-6 triumph.
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No. 20 Tulane is back in action next weekend with a trip up to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the Tiger Beach Challenge. The two-day event hosted by No. 12 LSU begins on Friday, February 27, with Tulane playing its opening dual of the event at 11:45 a.m. against North Alabama. The Wave will play twice on both Friday and Saturday.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane beach volleyball at @GreenWaveBeach on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
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Tulane's top flight of Katie Hansen and Emma Morris highlighted the day for Tulane as the duo went undefeated across their three duals. All three victories came via the sweep.
Â
Tulane opened the day with a 3-2 victory over Oregon to secure the team's first triumph of the season. The Wave secured victories at the first, second, and fourth flights to notch the triumph. At the first flight, Katie Hansen and Emma Morris notched a sweep (21-16, 21-15). Skylar Ensign and Molly Trodd secured their own sweep at the No. 2 flight, outlasting a 24-22 battle in the first set before notching a 21-11 triumph in the second. Tulane dropped a sweep at the third flight and fell in three at the five, but at No. 4, Avery Burks and Gigi Gallegos earned a hard-fought three-set win to seal the dual. Despite Oregon edging out the first set 21-19, the pair rallied in the second for a 21-16 win to force the winner-take-all frame. This turned into a marathon that the Wave tandem won 19-17.
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In the afternoon, Tulane battled South Florida for the first time as the Bulls are playing their inaugural season. It was another tight contest, but USF pulled out a 3-2 win. Hansen and Morris again tallied a sweep at the top flight with scores of 21-11 and 23-21. The Bulls won in a sweep at the second flight, but at No. 3 Amirah Ali and Sam O'Connor earned a 21-19, 21-10 sweep for Tulane. At the fourth pair, Burks and Gallegos battled hard to force a third set, dropping the first 21-15 before a 21-17 win in the second. The third frame turned into a marathon, but USF held just firm enough to win 20-18. The fifth flight also went three sets, but the Bulls won with scores of 21-17, 18-21, 15-10. The Wave did win the exhibition sixth flight as Gabbi Kucinski and Lauren Mann notched a 21-14, 21-8 sweep.
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The Wave closed out the day in fashion, dispatching crosstown foe New Orleans 5-0 without dropping a single set. Hansen and Morris posted their third sweep of the day at No. 1 (21-12, 21-14). At the second flight, Ensign and Trodd posted a 21-18, 21-15 victory. The third flight of Ali and O'Connor recorded their sweep via scores of 21-10 and 21-16. Kucinski and Mann swept at No. 4, 21-17 and 22-20. Closing out the full sweep of the Privateers was the fifth flight of McKenzie Cutler and Giorgia Walther as they notched set wins of 21-12 and 21-11. Even the exhibition sixth flight was a Tulane sweep, as Gabby Dwyer made her collegiate debut alongside Gallegos. They notched a 21-15, 21-6 triumph.
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No. 20 Tulane is back in action next weekend with a trip up to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the Tiger Beach Challenge. The two-day event hosted by No. 12 LSU begins on Friday, February 27, with Tulane playing its opening dual of the event at 11:45 a.m. against North Alabama. The Wave will play twice on both Friday and Saturday.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball campaigns can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane beach volleyball at @GreenWaveBeach on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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GREEN WAVE CLUB
Giving to the Green Wave Club provides Tulane Athletics with the resources student‑athletes need to excel in competition and in the classroom. Your support directly improves the lives of current and future Green Wave student‑athletes and enhances Tulane's competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Make a gift today by calling (504) 865‑5356, emailing greenwaveclub@tulane.edu, or visiting GreenWaveClub.com.
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Players Mentioned
Tulane Beach Volleyball Court Side Chat w/ Head Coach Eyal Zimet
Tuesday, January 30
2020 Beach VB Season Highlights
Wednesday, May 27
2019 Fall Tulane Beach Volleyball Tournament
Sunday, November 10
Tulane Beach Volleyball Highlights vs ULM
Wednesday, October 23















