From 2012 through 2031, all but two national collegiate beach volleyball champions will have been crowned on the white-sand beaches of Gulf Shores in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Only two months after the NCAA initially named Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events as the host of the 2027 and 2028 National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship, an extension was announced to keep the tournament in Lower Alabama for three more seasons.

“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship back in 2027 and 2028, but we are humbly honored to have the bid extended through 2031,” said Beth Gendler, president and CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, in a Dec. 9 press release. “We hope to become the permanent home for this impactful championship. The NCAA championship team is much more than a professional partnership; they are our family. We look forward to rolling out our white-sand carpet for the championship again soon.”

Other championship sites that also received extensions included Cary, North Carolina (Division I men’s and women’s soccer through 2028 and Division II baseball through 2038) and Orlando, Florida (Division I men’s and women’s tennis through 2037).

NCAA’s Monday announcement said that improvements made in each host city helped earn the additional years.

“These communities have a proven track record of successfully hosting NCAA events, and we’re excited to make this announcement of extended host agreements with Cary, Gulf Shores and Orlando for these six NCAA championships,” said Anthony Holman, NCAA vice president of championships and alliances, in the Dec. 9 announcement. “The commitment to invest and support these championships in terms of facilities, staffing, marketing and more were integral data points to our decision-making process. We feel the efficiency of scale that can be realized with these long-term commitments between the NCAA and our hosts provides an opportunity for more enhancement of these championships, leading to an increased student-athlete and fan experience moving forward.”

Improvements on the sand included additional spectator stadium seating and hospitality space, according to the release. The television compound, marketing resources and student-athlete experiences were also mentioned as enticing amenities for the top collegiate beach volleyball players in the country.

The NCAA has seen attendance records set each year since the sport was originally sanctioned for championship play in 2016. Before then, the American Volleyball Coaches Association sand championships were held in Gulf Shores starting in 2012.

Follow @GCMSportsAL on social media for highlights and photos from the tournaments and visit gulfcoastmedia.com/sports for full coverage.