Editor's note: This story was updated on Thursday, Oct. 3, with additional official comments.

After a two-year hiatus in California, the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships will return to Gulf Shores where the 2027 and 2028 champions will be crowned it was announced Wednesday.

Gulf Place Beach has hosted the collegiate beach volleyball national championship since 2012 and this spring marked the eighth year the sport was sanctioned by the NCAA. The Association had already announced Huntington Beach, California will be the championship site for 2025 and 2026 and recently completed the host selection process for the following two seasons.

“The NCAA is thrilled to return to Gulf Shores in 2027 and 2028 for the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship,” Kristin Fasbender, director of championships and alliances with the NCAA, said in a Thursday press release. “The Gulf Shores community has been incredibly supportive of this championship from the very beginning. Their commitment to providing an outstanding experience for our student-athletes and fans continues to shine through each and every year. We know Gulf Shores’ white-sand beaches and warm hospitality will continue to provide an amazing place to showcase these outstanding student-athletes and championship."

Attendance improved year over year and set a record this spring at 12,769, an 8.9% increase over 2023, according to Gulf Shores | Orange Each Sports & Events. GSOBSE also reported a revenue record was set this year at $325,416 for a 20.29% increase from last year.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to host the NCAA Beach Volleyball National Championship on our beaches once again," said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft on Thursday. "It is an honor to host this caliber of event and showcase our community on a national championship stage. We are thankful for the NCAA's continued trust in our team and look forward to welcoming the teams and fans back to the most beautiful venue in sports — Gulf Shores Public Beach — in 2027.”

Alabama was selected as one of 40 states that will host at least one NCAA championship event in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 cycles where Auburn, Huntsville and Birmingham will be featured host cities.

Wednesday’s announcement included over 240 host sites for three divisions of athletics which was whittled down from the over 1,200 bids received from 47 different states and Washington, D.C.

"The enthusiasm and interest from around the country to host NCAA championships continues to be a testament to the quality of our events," said Lynda Tealer, NCAA senior vice president of championships. "For this cycle we incorporated more data into the process to help our sport and oversight committees through the evaluation and selection of sites as we had so many quality venues and locations looking to host during these two seasons. We will continue to evaluate and gather feedback on going from the traditional four-year cycle to awarding championship bids for two years to determine the right cadence for the bid process in the future."

Other future Alabamian sites announced on Wednesday included:

2025 Division I Men’s Golf Regionals – Auburn University

2026 Division II Cross Country Regionals – John Hunt Park in Huntsville

2027 Division I Cross Country Regionals – John Hunt Park in Huntsville

2027 Division II Cross Country Championships – John Hunt Park in Huntsville

2027 Division II Indoor Track and Field Finals – Birmingham Crossplex

2027 Division II Soccer Finals – Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville

2028 Division I Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds – Legacy Arena in Birmingham

2028 Women’s Gymnastics National Collegiate Regionals – Neville Arena at Auburn University