The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2026 Beach Volleyball Awards on Tuesday, with the University of Southern Mississippi earning significant honors. Iustina Corcoz was named Newcomer of the Year, and two Golden Eagle pairs received all-conference recognition, marking the first time in program history that Southern Miss had two all-conference pairs.
Corcoz, a graduate student from Bucharest, Romania, transferred from West University of Timisoara. She played in 29 dual matches this season, primarily at the fourth flight, where she posted an 11-18 record. Corcoz notched wins over No. 19 Arizona and Sun Belt opponents Mercer and UNCW. She played alongside Y-Nhu Do most often, with a 6-10 record in duals.
Southern Miss’s top flight of Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda earned first-team honors after leading the team with an 18-15 overall record. The duo, both juniors from Mississippi and Texas respectively, has played every match together for three seasons. They registered wins over top-ranked teams including No. 15 Stetson, No. 18 Washington, and Tulane. Their Sun Belt record was 4-1, with only a three-set loss to the conference pair of the year.
Zuzanna Michalska and Abby Lewis received second-team honors after combining for a 19-13 record. Michalska, from Poland, earned second-team honors last year. Lewis, a true freshman from Texas, led the team in wins alongside Michalska. The pair finished with a 42-31 set record and posted victories over ranked teams such as LSU, Washington, Arizona, and Florida State.
The Golden Eagles will open the 2026 Sun Belt Championship on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. against No. 6 ULM. Southern Miss coach Collin Wilson praised the team’s achievements as they prepare for the postseason, which marks a historic milestone for the program.
