Troy Field, Andy Benesh, Phil Dalhausser and Taylor Crabb (from left) pose with tournament organizers after winning the men’s championship with Team Citrus Motors at the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
Alaina Chacon, Audrey Koenig, Ally Batenhorst and Sara Hughes (third through sixth from left) pose with tournament organizers after winning the women’s championship with Team Arnel Black at the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
Alaina Chacon, Audrey Koenig, Ally Batenhorst and Sara Hughes (from left) celebrate after winning the women’s championship with Team Arnel Black at the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
Troy Field of Team Citrus Motors celebrates a point during the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
Troy Field (left) and Andy Benesh of Team Citrus Motors leap to block a shot during the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
Sara Hughes of Team Arnel Black leaps for an attack during the Hoag Newport Beach 4-Man Volleyball Invitational in Newport Beach on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo by Zapanta Sports Media)
NEWPORT BEACH — One of the best things about winning the Newport Beach 4-man Volleyball Invitational on Sunday was that Troy Field and Sara Hughes could practically walk home with their medals.
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Field headed back to 45th Street in Newport Beach to continue the celebration after helping Citrus Motors teammates Taylor Crabb, Andy Benesh and Phil Dalhausser sweep Jacob LaBouliere, Devon Burki, Avery Drost and Ryan Wilcox of Direct Supply Purple in the best-of-three men’s championship match alongside the Newport Beach pier.
Hughes was probably already back with friends and family in her hometown of Costa Mesa after she and Arnel Black teammates Ally Batenhorst, Alaina Chacon and Audrey Koenig survived Saturday’s qualifying rounds, beat top-seeded Newport Bay in Sunday’s semifinals and then swept the OC Pace team of Savvy Cory, Devon Newberry, Megan Rice and Geena Urango in the women’s final.
“Going into the qualifier, we’re like, ‘Oh man, we feel like we’re a main-draw team,’ but that didn’t deter us,” Hughes said. “We were just going to come out and play our best volleyball, and coming out on top is amazing.”
Hughes, a 2024 U.S. Olympian who’s hoping to make another run at 2028 with Batenhorst, captained Arnel Black, while Field was a late substitution for Citrus Motors after LaBouliere became doubtful with an injury.
“I always find my phone at the right time,” Field said.
Field helped his chances of getting selected to Citrus Motors by finishing third at the Laguna Beach Open last month.
“Taylor was saying that, due to that third-place finish, it got my spot into here, so I’m very grateful,” Field said.
Field, 32, hasn’t experienced nearly as much success on the AVP and international tours as Crabb, Benesh and Dalhausser, but he has been a trailblazer in a sport he didn’t begin playing until he was 18.
He was one of the first participants in four-man beach volleyball, and also helped form the first USA Snow Volleyball team.
Born in San Clemente, Field moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, when he was a sophomore in high school.
He eventually moved back to Orange County and began playing beach volleyball at Doheny Beach in Dana Point, studying YouTube videos to hone his craft.
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Field was probably more talented at paintball at the time, but the cost of that sport proved too high and he decided to focus full time on beach volleyball.
Field began playing AVP events in 2017, but didn’t earn his first win until 2025.
Taking first in a non-AVP event like Sunday’s was plenty satisfying.
“This is pretty big,” Field said. “I played in this tournament three years in a row and I’ve lost in the finals, so it’s a huge opportunity to come out and win, especially now that I live here in Newport Beach.”
Hughes echoed that statement after her win about an hour earlier.
The 32-year-old played indoor volleyball for Mater Dei High School, moved to the sand at USC and has been a pro since the spring of 2017, representing the U.S. at the 2024 Paris Olympics with longtime partner Kelly Cheng of Placentia.
“This being in Newport, my entire family is watching, so I love when my family can be around, and friends,” she said. “This is a very special win.”
Hughes underwent surgery after tearing her right Achilles tendon in January of 2024 and missed all of that season and part of 2025.
She made her return to the court with new partner Batenhorst at the Newport Beach Elite 16 event in October of 2025 and, since then, have finished as high as fifth together.
“She just pushes me everyday and she works really, really hard,” Batenhorst said. “She’s been so encouraging and just such a good teammate, and I’ve just seen so much growth in her as well.”
Hughes still had tape on her surgically repaired tendon on Sunday, but that seemed to be the only indication of the injury.
“It always takes time (to come back from an injury), but the thing with me is, I’m just never going to give up,” Hughes said. “So, I feel like I’m back to my level and I’m only getting better, and that’s because of my team around me, and everyone who supports me. So, with everyone and my surroundings, I feel like I can do anything.”
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