Boise State Beach Volleyball will return to competition at the Carolina Challenge in Columbia, South Carolina, following a weekend off, according to a March 12 announcement. The Broncos, who have a 4-4 record and are receiving votes in the latest AVCA Collegiate Beach Poll, are scheduled to play four matches over the weekend.
The event begins with Boise State facing No. 20 South Carolina on Friday, March 13 at 9 a.m. Mountain Time, followed by a match against UNC Wilmington later that day. On Saturday, the Broncos will play Jacksonville and College of Charleston. This tournament marks the first time Boise State will face both UNC Wilmington and Jacksonville in program history.
The team enters the event with all four losses coming against ranked opponents this season. Ava Anderson and Addison Wolden have started strong with a 6-2 record and two wins over ranked teams. Allyson Alden and Serena van der Made hold a 5-3 mark for the season.
Friday’s matchup against South Carolina is notable as both teams are members of the Big 12 Conference; however, this dual will count as a nonconference contest. Last year, South Carolina defeated Boise State 4-1 in their only previous meeting. Assistant coach Alex Luna previously spent one year with South Carolina before joining Boise State.
This season also marks several changes for Boise State Beach Volleyball. The program is competing in its first year as part of the Big 12 Conference after joining alongside Florida State and South Carolina in September 2025. Previously, Boise State spent three seasons in the Southland Conference and nine years without conference affiliation. Additionally, Alex Venardos has taken over as head coach following Allison Voigt’s departure last summer; Venardos was named to the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Beach honorees class of 2023 and has been involved with the program since 2016.
Last season was Boise State’s most successful yet: they won both the SLC regular season and conference championship titles, earning their first berth in the NCAA Beach Volleyball National Tournament and finishing with a record of 23-12.
