2026 AVP League Championship: Brasher/Cruz and Crabb/Dalhausser crowned in Chicago

The 2026 AVP League Championship concluded at Chicago's Oak Street Beach with two thrilling finals that crowned dominant champions. In the women's final, Betsi Flint and Emily Day (team Brasher/Cruz of Palm Beach) defeated Humana-Paredes/Wilkerson 15-10, 15-12. Their tactical brilliance neutralized the opposition's star blocker, Wilkerson, who managed only one block while being forced into 24 attacks. Brasher hit .565 with 15 kills, exceeding her league-leading regular-season percentage, while Cruz recorded 20 digs—nearly double her season average. In the men's final, Trevor Crabb and Phil Dalhausser (Palm Beach) defended their title by beating Schalk/Shaw 15-10, 15-11. Dalhausser, at age 46 and recovering from a calf strain, posted 6 blocks in two sets, more than double his regular-season rate. Crabb delivered a flawless offensive performance: 9 kills on 12 attempts, zero errors, for a .750 hitting percentage. Shaw, the league's regular-season hitting leader, managed only 2 kills with a negative percentage. The semifinal saw top seed Benesh/Taylor Crabb lose a tight match to Schalk/Shaw by a total of four points, largely due to Taylor Crabb's .188 hitting—over 300 points below his average. The short-set, 15-point format amplified variance and rewarded disciplined execution. The AVP League, entering its third season with a franchise model, sold out Oak Street Beach, highlighting the growing popularity of beach volleyball in the US. Brasher/Cruz, ranked No.1 in the world, confirmed their dominance with a third consecutive Manhattan Beach Open title in addition to this championship. Crabb/Dalhausser's victory underscores the enduring quality of veteran players, though Dalhausser's age and recent injury raise questions about sustainability. The tournament demonstrated that in 2v2 beach volleyball, single-match statistics can be outliers, but cross-event consistency remains the truest measure of greatness.