Cal Poly Beach Volleyball’s celebrations Friday afternoon felt long overdue.
After two seasons of falling just short, No. 6 Cal Poly stormed through the Big West Championship on their home courts, sweeping both No. 17 Hawaii and No. 10 Long Beach State 3-0 to capture the program’s first conference title since 2022.
WATCH NOW: Cal Poly Beach Volleyball captures first Big West title since 2022
The Mustangs did it in dominant fashion, dropping just one dual point all tournament and feeding off a packed crowd at the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex.
For head coach Todd Rogers, the moment was equal parts vindication and momentum.
“That feels really good,” Rogers said. “Last time we won, it was actually on our own sand. Even more so given that we have, in my opinion, been the stronger team the last two years and haven’t been able to actually get the Big West championship.”
Cal Poly’s championship push began long before Friday. The Mustangs opened the tournament Thursday with back-to-back 5-0 sweeps of CSU Northridge and UC Davis, immediately establishing themselves as the team to beat. Across those duals, Cal Poly’s depth overwhelmed opponents, with every flight contributing and multiple pairs cruising through straight-set wins.
READ MORE: Cal Poly Beach Volleyball wins every set in day one of Big West Championships
That depth carried into championship day. Against Hawaii, Cal Poly clinched the dual quickly with commanding victories at the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions. The No. 2 pair of Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter set the tone with a 21-10, 21-7 rout, while Quinn Perry and Ashleigh Adams (No. 3) and Julia Westby and Elise Lenahan (No. 4) followed with composed, efficient wins.
By the time the dust settled, the Mustangs had secured a 3-0 victory before the top and bottom courts could even finish. The championship dual against Long Beach State played out in similar fashion, but with higher stakes and tighter moments.
Westby and Lenahan once again delivered a dominant performance at No. 4, rolling to a 21-7, 21-16 win. At No. 5, Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger handled business in straight sets (21-12, 21-19), putting Cal Poly on the brink of their first conference title in four years.
The title was officially clinched at the No. 2 position, where Martinez and Walter battled through a pair of tight sets to win 21-19, 21-19, sending the home crowd into celebration.
Several matches, including the top flight featuring Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep, were left unfinished as the Mustangs secured the necessary three points.
All season long, Cal Poly’s identity has centered on depth and the ability to win from any position in the lineup. That balance was on full display throughout the tournament, particularly in the middle and lower flights, where the Mustangs consistently outplayed opponents.
But that kind of lineup strength doesn’t come without challenges.
“Everyone wants to be at the top,” Rogers said. “You’ve got players at the fours and fives who could easily argue they should be higher. But at the end of the day, you sacrifice a little bit of self for the team. Whether you’re playing at the ones or the fives, everyone’s contributing, and that’s what makes this group work.”
That buy-in has been critical for a roster filled with high-level talent. Multiple pairs have racked up significant win totals this season, and the flexibility to adjust lineups has allowed the Mustangs to stay competitive against top-ranked opponents all year.
It’s also helped them bounce back from the frustration of the past two seasons, where strong regular-season performances didn’t translate into conference titles. This time, they finished the job.
For the players, the championship carried a deeper emotional weight, especially after coming up short in recent years.
“It’s amazing, I mean honestly, I’m speechless,” Inskeep said. “We obviously haven’t won it the past two years, so I didn’t know what it’d feel like. I’m so proud of this team. I love every single girl on this team, and we couldn’t have done it without all the trust we have in each other.”
That trust showed up in key moments, particularly after early adversity.
“I was so fired up,” Inskeep said. “We had a rough first game against Hawaii, but I knew we would bounce back, and we did that. We had so much fire.”
Even in unfinished matches, Cal Poly’s top pairs demonstrated resilience against elite competition, reinforcing the team’s confidence heading into the postseason.
On to the NCAA Tournament
With the Big West title secured, Cal Poly now shifts its focus to the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., where the Mustangs will look to turn conference success into a national breakthrough. Rogers believes this year’s result could be the spark the team has been missing.
“My hope is that this will carry our success all the way through,” he said. “The tide is rising right now, and hopefully we can continue that.”
Lineup decisions remain, particularly at the No. 5 position, where multiple pairs have rotated throughout the season, but the foundation is clear: a deep, cohesive group playing its best volleyball at the right time.
For Inskeep and her teammates, the opportunity ahead is as exciting as it is motivating.
“We’re right there,” she said. “We’ve lost some 3-2 matches, but we’re about to take it from them when they’re not expecting it, and Natty’s is the perfect time to do it. I’m so excited to do it with these girls.”
On Friday, Cal Poly finally reclaimed the Big West crown, on their own sand, with a performance that left little doubt about its place among the nation’s best. But for a team that has spent all season building toward something bigger, the celebration may be just the beginning.
With momentum, depth and belief all on their side, the Mustangs head to Gulf Shores not just as conference champions, but as a team ready to contend on the national stage.