Championship Sunday brought the third annual Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open to a close after four days of beach volleyball in Hermosa Beach.
What began with 32-team men’s and women’s main draws came down to just four teams per gender, all with a chance to leave their mark on one of the sport’s most iconic events.
After a weekend of upsets, contender’s-bracket runs and unbeaten pushes through the winner’s side, Sunday was about one thing: finishing the job.
Here’s how Championship Sunday unfolded.
Men’s Championship Sunday
Championship Sunday opened with Chase Budinger and Trevor Crabb keeping their title hopes alive, defeating Seain Cook and Leon Luini to advance out of the contender’s bracket.
That set up a semifinal against Andy Benesh and Taylor Crabb, who had dropped their first match of the tournament earlier in the day to Jacob LaBouliere and Miles Partain. Benesh and Crabb responded in the semifinal, defeating Budinger and Crabb in three sets to earn a rematch with LaBouliere and Partain for the championship.
The title match, however, was ultimately cut short after LaBouliere suffered an injury and was unable to continue.
Benesh and Crabb were awarded the 2026 Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open championship, while LaBouliere and Partain finished as runners-up after an impressive run through the tournament.
We wish Jacob LaBouliere a speedy recovery.
Men’s Final Podium
1st: Andy Benesh / Taylor Crabb
2nd: Jacob LaBouliere / Miles Partain
3rd: Chase Budinger / Trevor Crabb
Women’s Championship Sunday
Championship Sunday opened with a comeback on the contender’s side as Megan Rice and Reka Orsi Toth battled back to defeat Brecht Piersma and Molly Shaw in three sets. The victory extended an incredible run for Rice and Orsi Toth, who entered Saturday already facing elimination and fought all the way into Sunday’s final three.
On the winner’s side, Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft continued their unbeaten weekend with a straight-set victory over Savvy Cory and Devon Newberry, earning the first place in the women’s championship match.
The loss gave Cory and Newberry one final opportunity through the true double-elimination format, setting up a semifinal against Rice and Orsi Toth. Cory and Newberry responded with a straight-set victory, ending Rice and Orsi Toth’s impressive contender’s-bracket run in third place and earning a rematch with Cheng and Kraft for the title.
In the championship match, Cheng and Kraft finished the job. The #2 seed swept Cory and Newberry to complete an undefeated run through the 32-team main draw and capture the 2026 Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open championship.
For Cheng, the victory marks a third consecutive Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open championship after winning in 2024 and 2025 with two different partners. She now joins an exclusive group of women to win three straight Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open titles, becoming the first to do so since Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan accomplished the feat from 1993 through 1995.
Kraft’s victory also completes a three-year climb up the Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open podium after finishing second in 2024 and third in 2025 before reaching the top in 2026.
Women’s Final Podium
1st: Kelly Cheng / Megan Kraft
2nd: Savvy Cory / Devon Newberry
3rd: Megan Rice / Reka Orsi Toth
Until Next Year
From qualifying through Championship Sunday, the 2026 Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open delivered four days of high-level competition, international talent and memorable moments on the South Bay sand.
New champions were crowned, another chapter was added to Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open history, and the third annual event came to a close.
The Wedbush Presents Hermosa Beach Open will return September 10–12, 2027.
See you back in Hermosa.