Four Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Players Earn All-Big West Conference Honors

Four Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Players Earn All-Big West Conference Honors

4/6/2020 12:04:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Mason Briggs named Co-Freshman of the Year

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

2020 Big West Men's Volleyball All-Conference Team

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Big West Conference announced the 2020 Men's Volleyball All-Conference Team on Monday afternoon, and Long Beach State had four players honored. Leading the way was Mason Briggs who was named Co-Freshman of the Year, while also earning an Honorable Mention selection and a nod to the All-Freshman Team. Juniors Simon Andersen and Carlos Rivera were named to the First Team, while redshirt sophomore Spencer Olivier was an Honorable Mention selection.

Briggs shares the Co-Freshman of the Year award with CSUN's Kyle Hobus. Briggs, the Beach's libero, concluded his rookie season with 92 total digs to average 2.24 digs per set. That mark is tops in the Big West among freshmen and second overall. His 2.24 digs per set average also ranks him 13th in the nation. Briggs' solid passing helped the Beach hit .325 as a team during the 2020 season, while limiting opponents to a .218 clip. Briggs recorded double-figure digs on four occasions, notching a career-high 15 in a 3-2 victory at then-No. 12 UCLA on February 29.

Andersen, a 6-foot-8 junior opposite out of Middlefart, Denmark, earned First Team All-Conference Honors for the first time in his career after having claimed Honorable Mention status twice as an underclassman. In 2020, Andersen hit .307 on the year while averaging 2.45 kills per set, which is good for third on the squad. He also added 0.98 digs per set, 0.69 blocks per set, while tallying five aces in 11 matches. Andersen recorded seven double-figure kill performances this season, leading the squad in kills twice, and boasting a career-best 13 kills on three occasions.

Leading Long Beach State's offense this season was First Team selection, Rivera. The 6-foot-3 junior setter out of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico led the Beach to a .325 attack percentage as LBSU hit over .300 in 7-of-11 matches this season. Rivera distributed 428 assists this season to average 9.95, which ranks him 12th in the nation. He also contributed 1.95 digs per set, to rank 27th in the country, as well as 0.47 kills per set, and 0.47 blocks per set. Rivera led LBSU with three double-doubles, while leading the squad in digs four times. He logged a career-high 55 assists against McKendree (Jan. 10), and boasted a career-best 12 digs against Concordia Irvine (Jan. 11).

Rounding out the All-Conference selections from Long Beach State is Olivier, a redshirt sophomore outside hitter from Tustin, Calif. Olivier claimed Honorable Mention status after hitting .307 on the year and averaging 2.90 kills per set to rank second on the team and in the top 10 in the Big West. Olivier's 16 service aces led the squad and his average of 0.39 aces per set ranked him sixth in the league. Additionally, Olivier added 1.61 digs per set and 0.46 blocks per set. He finished the season leading the Beach in kills five times, with eight double-figure kill showings, while notching two double-doubles. Olivier recorded a career-high 15 kills against then No. 15 Ohio State (Feb. 8), and collected a career-best 12 digs versus Concordia Irvine (Jan. 11). His four aces against USC (Jan. 17) set a new career-high for the 6-foot-6 Olivier.