Long Beach reigns in men’s volleyball

NCAA

Top-ranked team wins national title, toppling defending champion UCLA

ABOVE: Long Beach State players celebrate with the trophy after sweeping UCLA to win the NCAA men’s volleyball title Monday night in Columbus, Ohio. LEFT: Freshman Moni Nikolov jumps for the ball during the match on Monday. Photos by Diego Devia LBSU Athletics

Image

From staff reports

The top-seeded Long Beach State men’s volleyball team swept UCLA in a national championship rematch Monday in Ohio, completing a dominant season to capture the school’s fourth title.

“Not for one second did we think we were going to lose that game,” said freshman setter Moni Nikolov, the AVCA National Player of the Year who was named the tournament MVP.

UCLA was trying to win its third consecutive title and 22nd overall. The Bruins beat Long Beach State in the 2024 championship.

Long Beach previously won consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019, and had won its first in 1991.

SEE STORY IN SPORTS