Long Beach State Gets Six On Big West All-Conference Teams

Mason Briggs, Simon Torwie, Aidan Knipe, Simon Torwie, Skyler Varga, Lazar Bouchkov

4/17/2024 1:07:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Briggs, Knipe, Siapanis, and Torwie earn First Team accolades, while Varga is named Honorable Mention selection, and Bouchkov garners All-Freshman Team honors

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

IRVINE, Calif. – The Big West announced the 2024 Men's Volleyball All-Conference Teams and Long Beach State boasted half a dozen selections. The Beach had four named to the First Team in Mason Briggs, Aidan Knipe, Sotiris Siapanis, and Simon Torwie, while Skyler Varga earned Honorable Mention status, and Lazar Bouchkov was named to the All-Freshman Team.

Briggs earned the honors for the fifth time his collegiate career after leading the Long Beach State defense all season. The senior libero leads The Big West, and ranks seventh in the nation, with 2.29 digs per set. This season he became just the sixth player in LBSU Men's Volleyball history to record 800 digs in his career. With 888 career digs at the conclusion of the regular season, Briggs is in second place all time at the Beach and just 12 digs away from becoming just the second Long Beach State player to ever reach the 900-career dig milestone. This season, Briggs has led the Beach in digs 22 times and has recorded double-figure digs on eight separate occasions.

With his First Team selection, Knipe is now a two-time All-Big West honoree. He is in the midst of an excellent senior season in which he has led the Beach to a .345 attack percentage which is good for second in the conference and fifth in the nation. Knipe is averaging 10.19 assists per set to rank second in The Big West and eighth in the country. He concluded the regular season dishing out his 3,000th career assist on the match-winning point as he led LBSU to its third-straight Big West Regular Season Title. He is just the eighth player in Long Beach State Men's Volleyball history to reach the 3,000-career assist milestone. On the year, Knipe has recorded a pair of double-doubles as he recorded 52 assists and 11 digs at UC Santa Barbara (3/9) before registering 39 assists and 11 digs versus Hawaii (3/16) a week later.

Siapanis has earned All-Big West First Team honors for the second time in as many seasons. The junior outside hitter ranks in the Top 10 in The Big West in kills (3.13), hitting percentage (.341), and points per set (3.79). He has led Long Beach State in kills nine times this season and has recorded two double-doubles on the year. Siapanis owns 15 double-figure kill performances, including a two season-high 18-kill showings.

Rounding out the Beach's All-Big West First Team selections is Torwie who earned the honors for the second time in his Long Beach State career. The senior middle blocker is the nation's leader in blocks per set with 1.34. He has set the tone for the LBSU blocking defense that leads the country with 3.26 blocks per set. Additionally, Torwie contributes 0.35 aces per set to rank in The Big West Top 10. He has led the Beach in blocks 11 times this season and recorded a season-high 10 blocks against Hawaii (3/16). Torwie has contributed on both sides of the ball averaging 1.32 kills per set on a .425 (98-19-186) attack percentage.

Varga collected Honorable Mention status after turning in a solid sophomore campaign. Playing on the right side, Varga ranks in The Big West Top 10 in kills (2.92), blocks (0.95), aces (0.39), and points per set (3.79). This season, he has led Long Beach State in kills five times, while leading the team in blocks four times, and in digs twice. He has recorded 11 double-figure kill performances, including a career-high 19 kills on two separate occasions. He recorded a double-double (14 kills, 10 digs) earlier this season against Penn State (3/1).

Bouchkov was named to The Big West All-Freshman Team after playing in 54 sets for the Beach. In just 15 matches of action, the freshman middle blocker averaged 1.37 blocks per set to go along with 1.28 kills per set on a .463 (69-13-121) attack percentage. In his time on the court, Bouchkov led Long Beach State in blocks seven times and recorded a career-high 11 blocks against NJIT (1/20).