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source: avp

The sport's most storied event returns this weekend. The 2026 AVP Progressive Manhattan Beach Open runs Friday through Sunday at the Manhattan Beach Pier, with 64 teams across the men's and women's main draws and 160 more who competed in Thursday's qualifier for just 16 open spots. General admission on the sand is free.

The tournament, first held in 1960, carries the full weight of the 2026 AVP League season into its biggest weekend. Former Cup partners are now rivals. The defending women's champions are chasing a third straight title. And the men's top seed is a partnership that began, two years ago in Chicago, with a shove on center court.

Budinger and Trevor Crabb Lead a Loaded Men's Bracket

Chase Budinger and Trevor Crabb enter as the #1 seed, playing together on U.S. soil for the first time. Budinger won the 2025 Manhattan Beach Open with Miles Evans; that partnership has since split, with Evans now teamed with Alex Ranghieri at the #9 seed. Crabb is chasing a fifth Manhattan Beach Open crown.

Phil Dalhausser and Taylor Sander come in at #8, both entering as wild cards on points. Dalhausser, who split from Trevor Crabb after their back-to-back Cup titles, is pursuing his eighth Manhattan Beach Open title. If the bracket holds, Dalhausser and Trevor Crabb would meet Saturday morning on stadium court in the winners bracket.

Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh are seeded #2, fresh off clinching the top men's seed for the AVP League Championship in Chicago. The bracket keeps the Crabb brothers separated until a potential final. Taylor is looking for his second Manhattan Beach title; Benesh is seeking his first.

Women's Draw Centered on a Three-Peat Bid

Taryn Brasher and Kristen Cruz arrive as the #1 seed and two-time defending champions, having swept both matches in Dallas last weekend to clinch the #2 seed for Chicago. A third consecutive Manhattan Beach Open title would be historic.

Dallas Closed the Regular Season, Chicago Seeds Are Set

Before the field gathered in Manhattan Beach, the AVP League regular season concluded in Dallas. Austin Aces had a decisive final weekend at Comerica Center.

The Austin men, Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox, entered needing to win both matches in straight sets to qualify. They did, including a 28-26 second set against LA Launch. Three weeks earlier they were 0-4. Austin enters the playoffs as the #5 seed.

The Austin women, Brasher and Cruz, swept both Dallas matches to finish 5-3 with 14 match points, level with Miami Mayhem but holding the head-to-head advantage from their earlier meeting. That gave Austin the #2 seed in Chicago and the accompanying semifinal bye.

Dallas Dream's men needed only one set win across two matches to qualify and were swept in both. LA Launch's women finished tied with San Diego Smash on wins and match points, with San Diego holding the head-to-head from Friday, ending Maddie Anderson and Alaina Chacon's season on a tiebreaker.

The Chicago Championship fields are set for September 5-6. Men's seeds: Miami Mayhem, Palm Beach Passion, San Diego Smash, New York Nitro, Austin Aces, LA Launch. Women's seeds: Palm Beach Passion, Austin Aces, Miami Mayhem, Brooklyn Blaze, Dallas Dream, San Diego Smash.