Long Beach State University Athletics
Defending Big West Champion Long Beach State Chosen As The 2025 Preseason Coaches’ Poll Favorite
12/19/2024 10:33:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Sotiris Siapanis, Skyler Varga, and Moni Nikolov named to Preseason Coaches’ Team
IRVINE, Calif. – The Big West released the 2025 Preseason Coaches' Poll and Team on Thursday morning, and Long Beach State was chosen as the preseason favorite. Additionally, the Beach led the way with the most Preseason Coaches' Team selections as Sotiris Siapanis, Skyler Varga, and Moni Nikolov earned the nod.
Siapanis earned the preseason honor for the second-straight year after a productive junior year which earned him AVCA All-America First Team accolades. The two-time All-American and Big West All-Conference selection finished the year ranked in the Top 10 in the league in kills (3.18), hitting percentage (.342), and points per set (3.80). The senior outside hitter led the Beach with 19 double-figure kill performances, while recording three double-doubles. Siapanis led Long Beach State in kills on 11 separate occasions.
Varga was named to the Preseason Coaches' Team for the first time in his career. The junior opposite is coming off of an impressive sophomore campaign which culminated in AVCA Honorable Mention status. He led the Beach in aces per set (0.36), while ranking in the Top 10 in the conference in blocks per set (0.92). He finished the year averaging 2.98 kills per set on a .263 clip. Varga tallied 16 double-figure kill showings, while boasting a career-high 20-kill performance against Grand Canyon on May 2.
Nikolov is a freshman setter who comes to Long Beach State from Sofia, Bulgaria where he was a nine-time national champion in his age group. A member of the Bulgarian National Team, Nikolov also played with the U19 squad and helped the team win the European Championship Bronze Medal. One of the top setters in the world, Nikolov has volleyball in his genes as his father, Vladmir played professionally overseas until 2016, and his brother Alex is currently playing professionally and on the Bulgarian National Team after playing at LBSU and becoming the first-ever men's volleyball player to be named AVCA National Player of the Year as a freshman in 2022.
The trio headline a talent-filled roster that looks to return to the NCAA National Championship and bring home the program's fourth National Title.
Long Beach State was chosen to finish first after garnering 24 total points and four first-place votes. UC Irvine was picked to finish second with 21 points and two first-place votes. Hawaii's 18 points put them in third place, while UC Santa Barbara slid into fourth place with 12 points. Rounding out the bottom of the poll were CSUN (8 points) and UC San Diego (7 points) which were chosen to place fifth and sixth, respectively.
The Beach opens the 2025 with the North American Challenge, a preseason exhibition tournament featuring Long Beach State, Pepperdine, UC San Diego, as well as some of the top teams in Canada in Saskatchewan, Calgary, and Canadian National Champion Trinity Western. The North American Challenge will run from January 3-4.
Following the North American Challenge, Long Beach State will officially open the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Jan. 11 against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
Fans wishing to purchase season tickets, may do so by clicking HERE. For more information or questions, please call or text: 562-985-4949 or email: LBSUTickets@csulb.edu.
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Long Beach State – 24 points (4)
2. UC Irvine – 21 points (2)
3. Hawaii – 18 points
4. UC Santa Barbara – 12 points
5. CSUN – 8 points
6. UC San Diego – 7 points
First-place votes in parenthesis
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Team
Geste Bianchi, UC Santa Barbara
Anthony Cherfan, UC San Diego
Donovan Constable, CSUN
Maxim Grigoriev, UC Irvine
Hilir Henno, UC Irvine
Moni Nikolov, Long Beach State
Tread Rosenthal, Hawaii
Sotiris Siapanis, Long Beach State
Skyler Varga, Long Beach State
Siapanis earned the preseason honor for the second-straight year after a productive junior year which earned him AVCA All-America First Team accolades. The two-time All-American and Big West All-Conference selection finished the year ranked in the Top 10 in the league in kills (3.18), hitting percentage (.342), and points per set (3.80). The senior outside hitter led the Beach with 19 double-figure kill performances, while recording three double-doubles. Siapanis led Long Beach State in kills on 11 separate occasions.
Varga was named to the Preseason Coaches' Team for the first time in his career. The junior opposite is coming off of an impressive sophomore campaign which culminated in AVCA Honorable Mention status. He led the Beach in aces per set (0.36), while ranking in the Top 10 in the conference in blocks per set (0.92). He finished the year averaging 2.98 kills per set on a .263 clip. Varga tallied 16 double-figure kill showings, while boasting a career-high 20-kill performance against Grand Canyon on May 2.
Nikolov is a freshman setter who comes to Long Beach State from Sofia, Bulgaria where he was a nine-time national champion in his age group. A member of the Bulgarian National Team, Nikolov also played with the U19 squad and helped the team win the European Championship Bronze Medal. One of the top setters in the world, Nikolov has volleyball in his genes as his father, Vladmir played professionally overseas until 2016, and his brother Alex is currently playing professionally and on the Bulgarian National Team after playing at LBSU and becoming the first-ever men's volleyball player to be named AVCA National Player of the Year as a freshman in 2022.
The trio headline a talent-filled roster that looks to return to the NCAA National Championship and bring home the program's fourth National Title.
Long Beach State was chosen to finish first after garnering 24 total points and four first-place votes. UC Irvine was picked to finish second with 21 points and two first-place votes. Hawaii's 18 points put them in third place, while UC Santa Barbara slid into fourth place with 12 points. Rounding out the bottom of the poll were CSUN (8 points) and UC San Diego (7 points) which were chosen to place fifth and sixth, respectively.
The Beach opens the 2025 with the North American Challenge, a preseason exhibition tournament featuring Long Beach State, Pepperdine, UC San Diego, as well as some of the top teams in Canada in Saskatchewan, Calgary, and Canadian National Champion Trinity Western. The North American Challenge will run from January 3-4.
Following the North American Challenge, Long Beach State will officially open the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Jan. 11 against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
Fans wishing to purchase season tickets, may do so by clicking HERE. For more information or questions, please call or text: 562-985-4949 or email: LBSUTickets@csulb.edu.
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Long Beach State – 24 points (4)
2. UC Irvine – 21 points (2)
3. Hawaii – 18 points
4. UC Santa Barbara – 12 points
5. CSUN – 8 points
6. UC San Diego – 7 points
First-place votes in parenthesis
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Team
Geste Bianchi, UC Santa Barbara
Anthony Cherfan, UC San Diego
Donovan Constable, CSUN
Maxim Grigoriev, UC Irvine
Hilir Henno, UC Irvine
Moni Nikolov, Long Beach State
Tread Rosenthal, Hawaii
Sotiris Siapanis, Long Beach State
Skyler Varga, Long Beach State
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