YOUNGSVILLE, La. – UTEP Beach Volleyball concluded its 2025 campaign Friday afternoon at the Conference USA Championship, falling 3-0 to No. 3 seed FIU at Sugar Beach in Youngsville, Louisiana. The loss ends a memorable postseason run that saw the Miners secure the first tournament win in program history.
FIU 3, UTEP 0
In Friday's elimination dual, FIU opened strong with a win on Court 5 and followed it up with a narrow victory on Court 1 to take a 2-0 lead. The match was ultimately clinched on Court 3, sealing the 3-0 result for the Panthers. UTEP's No. 2 pair—Paulina Acuna and Marian Ovalle—was the lone Miner duo to take their opening set and was locked in a competitive battle to secure a win for UTEP but went unfinished due to the dual being decided on Court 3.
P1: Ella Gray/Julia Panko (FIU) def. Madison Hill/Ema Uskokovic (UTEP) 21-12, 22-20
P2: Paulina Acuna/Marian Ovalle (UTEP) 21-16, Sophia Vogel/Nicole Robinson (FIU) unf
P3: Katarina Drozd/Brianna Luoma (FIU) def. Krista Paegle/Milana Popovic (UTEP) 21-15, 21-16
P4: Zoe Cahill/Arianna Franklin (FIU) 21-11, Emma Schubert/Lauren Perry (UTEP) unf
P5: Aleksandra Chudzik/Kendra Brown (FIU) def. Adriana Oporto/Mackenzi Davis (UTEP) 21-11, 21-7
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 3
Despite the setback, UTEP leaves Youngsville with a historic milestone in hand. On Thursday, the Miners swept Jacksonville State 3-0 in the program's first-ever postseason win. Courts 1, 3, and 5 earned straight-set victories in the match, while the remaining two courts were in control before the dual was clinched.
The 2025 season marked UTEP's third full year as a program. The Miners closed out the year with a record of 12-17 and their second straight appearance in the CUSA Championship, continuing to build a foundation of competitive success and academic excellence.
For complete coverage of UTEP Beach Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at UTEP Beach Volleyball (Facebook), @utepbeachvb (Instagram) and @UTEPBeachVB (X) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
