Who Won the Santa Barbara Open 2026? Results

Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst won the men's title and Ella Connor and Jessica Smith won the women's title at the 2026 AVP Santa Barbara Open, played October 2–4 at East Beach in Santa Barbara, California. Basey and Hurst defended their 2025 crown by beating Avery Drost and Ford Harman 21-16, 21-15 in the men's final.

Men's final: Basey and Hurst go back-to-back

Defending champions Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst successfully defended their Santa Barbara title on Sunday, beating Avery Drost and Ford Harman 21-16, 21-15 in the men's final, per Noozhawk's tournament report. The win made them the seventh partnership to win consecutive championships at a tournament that dates back to 1950 — and the first to do it since Santa Barbara locals Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser completed their three-peat in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Their road to the final was anything but smooth. On Saturday, Basey and Hurst survived a tense battle against Riley Owen and Quin Zilch to reach the quarterfinals, saving five match points before closing out the deciding set 24-22. Drost, the 40-year-old veteran, reached the final alongside Harman after his own quarterfinal run.

Women's final: Connor and Smith take the crown

On the women's side, Ella Connor and Jessica Smith won the title, topping Florida State standouts Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig in the final. The result is confirmed by Noozhawk's championship report and by bvbinfo's 2026 season leaders, which credit Connor and Smith with a tour win on the year.

Durish and Koenig — fresh off a 29-0 college season at Florida State and All-America honors — reached the final by upsetting the top-seeded team of Torrey Van Winden and Abby Van Winkle in the second round. Connor, a Cal Poly standout, and Smith closed out the title on Sunday's championship court. Note: the women's final score was not published in available reporting.

Tournament details

The 2026 Santa Barbara Open, presented by Jones Trading and hosted by 805 Beach and the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club, ran October 2–4 at East Beach. It was the first AVP tournament in Santa Barbara since 2013, returning pro beach volleyball to one of the sport's historic homes.

The event featured 32-team main draws in each gender, with modified pool play feeding a single-elimination playoff bracket. The total prize purse was $60,000 — $30,000 per gender — with $10,000 going to each winning team, who also received RAD Power Bikes.