Taryn Brasher and Kristen Cruz completed a flawless 2026 season on September 6, defeating top seeds Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson 15-10, 15-12 to claim the AVP League Championship at Chicago's Oak Street Beach. The Austin Aces pair won every title they chased all year, ending the campaign unbeaten.
The final was the match the entire season had pointed toward — the two best teams, the deepest rivalry in the women's game, and a championship attached. Oak Street Beach was sold out both days, packed and loud.
Neutralising the net threat
Wilkerson had led the AVP League in blocks per set during the regular season. Austin held her to one block all match, half her season rate, forcing her to swing 24 times instead — more attacks than anyone on the court. Palm Beach's path to the title ran through Wilkerson's net presence, and it never materialised.
Humana-Paredes played well and it did not matter. Cruz dug 20 balls in a two-set match, ten in each frame, nearly double her own League second-best season rate. Brasher hit .565 with 15 kills, above her own League-leading .529 regular-season mark, in the biggest moments of the year.
From disappointment to dynasty
The championship erased the memory of a prior year's early exit in Chicago, where a bye into the semifinals ended in what Brasher called a disappointing finish. This time, they opened the day by beating Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft 15-8, 15-9 in the semifinal, then returned to close the story.
"So I think we really want to, like pinpoint that this weekend and really give it our all," Brasher told reporters beforehand. The victory added a cherry to a summer that already included a third consecutive Manhattan Beach Open title and 18 straight wins at the historic event across their three championship runs.
Austin entered the weekend as the hottest team in the sport, and they left Chicago without a single blemish on the season. The two former LSU teammates, long coached by Drew Hamilton to keep their floor at a certain level, now look ahead as contenders on the path to LA28.
