A oversized replica of the NCAA game ball sat in the backdrop of the NCAA championship site.
Sophomore Reily Buechler prepares for the No. 5 doubles matchup against Florida State.
Seminole fans flocked in droves to the nearby Gulf Shores beach to cheer on FSU.
Freshman Nicole McNamara (middle) and her sister Megan McNamara (right) lost the No. 1 doubles matchup in straight sets.
Senior Julie Consani goes for a poke shot in her last collegiate beach volleyball game.
Freshman Kelly Anna Geiser cheers on her teammates from the sidelines.
Freshman Megan McNamara reaches out for a dig.
Sophomore Elise Zappia pokes the ball away from the blocker, FSU's Vanessa Freire.
FSU players and coaches line up as the national anthem is sung prior to the NCAA finals.
Hughes engages with a fan before the NCAA finals
USC's Nicolette Martin executes a jump serve.
USC's Zoë Nightingale successfully blocks Nikki Esposito's hit attempt
Freire goes for a block attempt on 'SC's Allie Wheeler
Martin (pictured) emphatically celebrates after Wheeler get a big block against the Seminoles.
Martin (right) jumps into Wheeler's arms after they secure the Trojan's second point in the NCAA finals.
USC's Kelly Claes (left) and Sara Hughes (right) hold hands before their NCAA finals match. Claes and Hughes ended their undefeated season with a 44-0 record.
USC's Jenna Belton fully extends to make contact with the ball.
Claes, the reigning Pac-12 player of the year, serves the ball.
USC volunteer assistant coach and olympic gold medalist Dain Blanton talks to Claes and Hughes during a timeout.
Hughes jumps in the air in jubilation after she and Claes successfully clinch the first NCAA beach volleyball championship for USC.
Nightingale (33), Martin (35) and Terese Cannon (middle) rush to the court to hug Hughes right as the Trojans clinch the first-ever NCAA beach volleyball championship.
Hughes, one of USC's co-captains, holds on to the NCAA trophy.
Martin (left) and Wheeler (right) kiss the NCAA trophy.
The Trojans, clad in championship apparel, celebrate their newly-won NCAA championship.