Beach Ferns & Beach Blacks Shine at the 2025 World Championships

 Beach Ferns

Beach Ferns & Beach Blacks Shine at the 2025 World Championships

New Zealand’s beach volleyball athletes have delivered one of their strongest collective performances on the world stage, with both of our teams finishing 17th at the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships. An awesome run that showcased composure, heart, and world-class volleyball from our Aotearoa crew.

Standout Moments on the Sand

Two matches will sit in the memory bank for years to come:

  • The Beach Ferns’ Incredible Comeback:Shaunna Polley (Waikato) and Olivia MacDonald (Taranaki) pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament, storming back from 11–14 down in the third set to defeat 9th-seeded Italy. Pure grit. Pure class.

  • A Match for the NZ History Books:Ben O’Dea (Bay of Plenty) and Brad Fuller (Bay of Plenty) pushed world No. 4 Brazil to the absolute limit in an electric three-set battle, falling just short 25–23 in the third. One of the most memorable matches ever played by a Kiwi men’s team on the world stage.

Onward to the Round of 32

Both teams fought their way out of pool play:

  • Polley & MacDonald finished third in their pool and claimed a Round of 32 spot as one of the top third-place teams.

  • O’Dea & Fuller secured their place with a clutch Lucky Loser win over England’s Bello brothers, delivering under pressure when it counted most.

World-Class Stats to Match the Performances

Across the entire tournament field, New Zealand athletes landed inside the top 30 in multiple skill categories, a massive statement against the world’s best:

Top Individual Rankings

Olivia MacDonald

  • 10th – Best Blocker

  • 18th – Best Server

  • 28th – Best Attacker

  • 28th – Best Scorer

Shaunna Polley

  • 14th – Best Server

  • 21st – Best Digger

Ben O’Dea

  • 16th – Best Blocker

  • 18th – Best Attacker

  • 22nd – Best Scorer

  • 23rd – Best Digger

Brad Fuller

  • 13th – Best Server

  • 18th – Best Digger

  • 19th – Best Attacker

  • 27th – Best Blocker

  • 29th – Best Scorer

 

These stats paint the picture clearly: New Zealand belongs in the global conversation. From big serves to big moments, our athletes stepped up against the world’s elite and delivered one of our strongest collective campaigns yet.


Article added: Monday 24 November 2025