Tulane Returns to CUSA Championship Dual with Wins Over FAU, UAB

Friday, April 24

Youngsville, LA

10:00 AM

Tulane University

Florida Atlantic University

Lauren Mann & Avery Burks Clinch Celebration vs UAB CUSA Day 2 2026

Photo by: Wyatt Streett

Tulane Returns to CUSA Championship Dual with Wins Over FAU, UAB

Apr 24, 2026 | Women's Beach Volleyball

By: Wyatt Streett

YOUNGSVILLE, La. – Tulane continued to roll through the Friday slate of competition in the Conference USA Championship, punching its ticket back to the championship dual with a pair of victories over the top seeds of the tournament. After besting top-seeded No. 19 Florida Atlantic 3-0 in the morning at Sugar Beach, the Green Wave notched another 3-0 triumph over No. 2 seed UAB to earn a third-straight berth in the title tilt. With the wins, Tulane improves to 25-13 on the campaign.

Tulane began the day with a morning bout against the No. 1 seed FAU. The Wave got off to a hot start thanks to the second and third flights. At No. 2, Emma Morris and Katie Hansen secured a sweep with both sets ending 21-14. At flight three, Amirah Ali and Tawny Ensign stretched the Tulane lead to 2-0 with their sweep of 21-15 and 21-17. Each of the three other matches were pushed into a third set, where the fourth flight determined the dual. McKenzie Cutler and Sam O'Connor fell in their first frame 21-14 before pushing back to win the second set 21-14. The third set was nip-and-tuck the whole way, but the Tulane tandem held firm and earned a hard-fought 15-13 win as Cutler's kill sealed the deal on a 3-0 triumph.

In the afternoon, Tulane faced another tough task in the second-seeded Blazers. However, the Wave was ready for the assignment, getting on the board first with Morris and Hansen's sweep at the second flight. They won their sets by margins of 21-16 and 21-11. Molly Trodd and Skylar Ensign completed a straight-set win at the top flight, 21-18 and 21-17, to push the Wave ahead 2-0 in the dual. At the fifth flight, Avery Burks and Lauren Mann earned a hard-fought sweep to clinch the dual 3-0 for Tulane. Both of their sets were by a 21-18 margin.

Morris and Hansen continued their torrid stretch of play, extending their win streak to 12 consecutive matches. They were named CUSA Co-Pair of the Week on Tuesday. Trodd's victory in the afternoon match against UAB was her 75^th career win. All five Tulane pairs secured at least one match win today across both duals.

Tulane will play for the conference championship tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. This is the third-straight season that the Wave has advanced to the title dual, finishing as the runner-up both times. Tulane will face either FAU or South Florida in that match-up, as those teams play at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow in an elimination dual to determine who sees the Wave. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ as Tulane aims to secure its first-ever CUSA championship.

Tulane 3, FAU 0
1 – Molly Trodd / Skylar Ensign (TULN) vs. Denisse Morgenstern / Shantel Starling (FAU) 19-21, 21-17, 11-13 (unfinished)
2 – Emma Morris / Katie Hansen (TULN) def. Olivia Strandberg / Ava Koehl (FAU) 21-14, 21-14
3 – Amirah Ali / Tawny Ensign (TULN) def. Klaire VanDeusen / Mia Scanlon (FAU) 21-15, 21-17
4 – McKenzie Cutler / Sam O'Connor (TULN) def. Kendall Mignerey / Shayna Wolf (FAU) 14-21, 21-14, 15-13
5 – Lauren Mann / Avery Burks (TULN) vs. Cameron Knifton / Allison Spittal (FAU) 25-23, 17-21, 11-12 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 2, 3, 4

Tulane 3, UAB 0
1 – Molly Trodd / Skylar Ensign (TULN) def. Jasmine Haas / Olivia Stant (UAB) 21-18, 21-17
2 – Emma Morris / Katie Hansen (TULN) def. Pien Grooters / Virginia Voilier (UAB) 21-16, 21-11
3 – Amirah Ali / Tawny Ensign (TULN) vs. Olivia Chychrun / Ava Knott (UAB) 27-25, 7-8 (unfinished)
4 – McKenzie Cutler / Sam O'Connor (TULN) vs. Isabel Day / Claudia Stockard (UAB) 13-21, 16-19 (unfinished)
5 – Lauren Mann / Avery Burks (TULN) def. Sadie Sharpe / Ashely Torsone (UAB) 21-18, 21-18
Order of finish: 2, 1, 5

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