Friday, October 3
Long Beach, Calif.
7 p.m.
Long Beach State University
vs
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: Kat Acosta @photosbyKatAcosta
Long Beach State Hosts UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly in Big West Showdowns
10/2/2025 9:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Beach faces two of the conference’s remaining unbeatens this weekend at the Walter Pyramid.
WHAT'S COMING UP FOR LBSU
MATCH 14
UC Santa Barbara (10-4, 2-0 Big West) at Long Beach State (9-4, 2-0 Big West)
Friday, Oct. 3 • 7 p.m. Â
Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats • ESPN+
Â
MATCH 15
Cal Poly (11-3, 2-0 Big West) at Long Beach State
Saturday, Oct. 4 • 6 p.m.
Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats • ESPN+
Long Beach State is one of four Big West teams to begin conference play at 2-0. The Beach will host two of the other three unbeaten squads this weekend, welcoming UC Santa Barbara on Friday at 7 p.m. and Cal Poly on Saturday at 6 p.m. inside the Walter Pyramid.
Â
Both matches will stream live on ESPN+ with Matt Brown and Sarah Pavan on the call.
SCOUTING THE GAUCHOS
UC Santa Barbara has received votes in the last three AVCA/Taraflex Top 25 polls. Following wins over Cal State Bakersfield and CSUN, the Gauchos improved to 10-4 overall.
Â
UCSB's offense is led by two of the Big West's top three hitters: Layanna Green (.416), who ranks 23rd in Division I, and Jordyn Johnson (.390). Eva Travis has recorded a conference-best 204 kills, ranking second in the league in kills per set (4.08). She also leads the Big West in total points (229.5) and ranks second in points per set (4.59).
Â
Long Beach State leads the all-time series against UCSB, 75-44.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
Cal Poly also opened Big West play with wins over CSUB and CSUN, holding an 11-3 overall record.
Â
The Mustangs are powered by Chloe Leluge, who ranks fourth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.379), third in total blocks (53), and fifth in blocks per set (1.10). Setter Emme Bullis is second in total assists (428) and fourth in assists per set (8.92).
Â
This will be the 78th meeting between Long Beach State and Cal Poly. The Beach lead the all-time series, 48-29.
MAXWELL NAMED SETTER OF THE WEEK
For the second straight week, sophomore setter Madi Maxwell has been named Big West Setter of the Week (Sept. 29). Maxwell directed the Beach to a 2-0 start in conference play with 67 assists (11.17 per set), adding five blocks, three aces, and two kills.
Â
She also shined at the UniWyo Invite, averaging 11.46 assists per set with two double-doubles, including a career-high 57 assists vs. Idaho State. Maxwell leads the Big West with 470 assists (9.79 per set), ranking 34th nationally in total assists and 38th in assists per set. She also tops the team with 116 digs.
DROPPING THE HAMAKER
Freshman outside hitter Sidney Hamaker has recorded double-digit kills in four straight matches. She tallied a season-high 13 kills twice (vs. Portland and Idaho State on Sept. 20) and added 11 kills in each of the Beach's opening conference wins. Hamaker ranks third on the team with 102 kills (2.68 per set).
HITTING 70
Long Beach State posted back-to-back 70+ kill matches for the first time in nearly three years, with 72 at Wyoming (Sept. 18) and 75 vs. Idaho State (Sept. 20). The Beach last accomplished the feat on Oct. 14, 2022.
AGI NAMED OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior outside hitter Elise Agi earned Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading LBSU to a 3-0 record at the UniWyo Invite.
Â
Agi hit .326 while averaging 3.46 kills, 3.00 digs, and 3.88 points per set. She recorded two double-doubles, including a career-high 16 digs vs. Wyoming and 24 kills vs. Idaho State. Agi leads the Beach in service aces (14) and ranks second in kills (133) and digs (115). She previously earned All-Tournament honors at Santa Clara's Mission Classic.
KING A TWO-TIME FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Logan King was named Big West Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time on Sept. 8, becoming the first player in program history to win the award in back-to-back weeks since its creation in 2014.
Â
King ranks among the Big West leaders in kills per set (3rd, 3.56), total kills (4th, 171), points per set (4th, 4.24), and total blocks (10th, 41). Internationally, she was named Best Opposite at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup with Canada's U21 National Team and competed at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
BLOCK PARTY AT THE PYRAMID
Middle blocker Nieko Thomas anchors the Beach's defensive front, ranking second in the Big West in both blocks per set (1.21) and total blocks (58). Rhiann Sheffie adds depth at the net, ranking fifth in the conference in both blocks per set (1.02) and total blocks (49). As a team, LBSU leads the Big West in blocks per set (2.55).
DIGGIN' JELINEK
Freshman libero Anna Jelinek is third on the team with 99 digs, posting five double-digit efforts this season, including a season-high 13 vs. San Diego State (Sept. 13).
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
Junior Tatum Hoff is the daughter of Long Beach State alum and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Tom Hoff, who played for the Beach before a decorated international career. A three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008), Hoff helped Team USA to a gold medal in Beijing in 2008.
BIG WEST PRESEASON POLL
Long Beach State was picked fifth in the 2025 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Aug. 21. The Beach earned 68 points, while Hawai'i (94) edged Cal Poly (92) for the top spot.
UC Davis (75) and UCSB (73) rounded out the top four.
A LOOK BACK
Last week, Long Beach State extended its winning streak to six by opening Big West play with sweeps of UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton:
• [LBSU vs. UC Irvine]
• [LBSU vs. Cal State Fullerton]
Â
Â
MATCH 14
UC Santa Barbara (10-4, 2-0 Big West) at Long Beach State (9-4, 2-0 Big West)
Friday, Oct. 3 • 7 p.m. Â
Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats • ESPN+
Â
MATCH 15
Cal Poly (11-3, 2-0 Big West) at Long Beach State
Saturday, Oct. 4 • 6 p.m.
Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats • ESPN+
Â
Both matches will stream live on ESPN+ with Matt Brown and Sarah Pavan on the call.
UC Santa Barbara has received votes in the last three AVCA/Taraflex Top 25 polls. Following wins over Cal State Bakersfield and CSUN, the Gauchos improved to 10-4 overall.
Â
UCSB's offense is led by two of the Big West's top three hitters: Layanna Green (.416), who ranks 23rd in Division I, and Jordyn Johnson (.390). Eva Travis has recorded a conference-best 204 kills, ranking second in the league in kills per set (4.08). She also leads the Big West in total points (229.5) and ranks second in points per set (4.59).
Â
Long Beach State leads the all-time series against UCSB, 75-44.
Cal Poly also opened Big West play with wins over CSUB and CSUN, holding an 11-3 overall record.
Â
The Mustangs are powered by Chloe Leluge, who ranks fourth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.379), third in total blocks (53), and fifth in blocks per set (1.10). Setter Emme Bullis is second in total assists (428) and fourth in assists per set (8.92).
Â
This will be the 78th meeting between Long Beach State and Cal Poly. The Beach lead the all-time series, 48-29.
For the second straight week, sophomore setter Madi Maxwell has been named Big West Setter of the Week (Sept. 29). Maxwell directed the Beach to a 2-0 start in conference play with 67 assists (11.17 per set), adding five blocks, three aces, and two kills.
Â
She also shined at the UniWyo Invite, averaging 11.46 assists per set with two double-doubles, including a career-high 57 assists vs. Idaho State. Maxwell leads the Big West with 470 assists (9.79 per set), ranking 34th nationally in total assists and 38th in assists per set. She also tops the team with 116 digs.
Freshman outside hitter Sidney Hamaker has recorded double-digit kills in four straight matches. She tallied a season-high 13 kills twice (vs. Portland and Idaho State on Sept. 20) and added 11 kills in each of the Beach's opening conference wins. Hamaker ranks third on the team with 102 kills (2.68 per set).
Long Beach State posted back-to-back 70+ kill matches for the first time in nearly three years, with 72 at Wyoming (Sept. 18) and 75 vs. Idaho State (Sept. 20). The Beach last accomplished the feat on Oct. 14, 2022.
Senior outside hitter Elise Agi earned Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading LBSU to a 3-0 record at the UniWyo Invite.
Â
Agi hit .326 while averaging 3.46 kills, 3.00 digs, and 3.88 points per set. She recorded two double-doubles, including a career-high 16 digs vs. Wyoming and 24 kills vs. Idaho State. Agi leads the Beach in service aces (14) and ranks second in kills (133) and digs (115). She previously earned All-Tournament honors at Santa Clara's Mission Classic.
Logan King was named Big West Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time on Sept. 8, becoming the first player in program history to win the award in back-to-back weeks since its creation in 2014.
Â
King ranks among the Big West leaders in kills per set (3rd, 3.56), total kills (4th, 171), points per set (4th, 4.24), and total blocks (10th, 41). Internationally, she was named Best Opposite at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup with Canada's U21 National Team and competed at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
Middle blocker Nieko Thomas anchors the Beach's defensive front, ranking second in the Big West in both blocks per set (1.21) and total blocks (58). Rhiann Sheffie adds depth at the net, ranking fifth in the conference in both blocks per set (1.02) and total blocks (49). As a team, LBSU leads the Big West in blocks per set (2.55).
Freshman libero Anna Jelinek is third on the team with 99 digs, posting five double-digit efforts this season, including a season-high 13 vs. San Diego State (Sept. 13).
Junior Tatum Hoff is the daughter of Long Beach State alum and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Tom Hoff, who played for the Beach before a decorated international career. A three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008), Hoff helped Team USA to a gold medal in Beijing in 2008.
Long Beach State was picked fifth in the 2025 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Aug. 21. The Beach earned 68 points, while Hawai'i (94) edged Cal Poly (92) for the top spot.
UC Davis (75) and UCSB (73) rounded out the top four.
A LOOK BACK
Last week, Long Beach State extended its winning streak to six by opening Big West play with sweeps of UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton:
- Defeated UC Irvine, 3-0
- Defeated Cal State Fullerton, 3-0
• [LBSU vs. UC Irvine]
• [LBSU vs. Cal State Fullerton]
Â
~#LongBeachBuilt~
 Â
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballWomen's Volleyball Post Game Press Conference vs Pepperdine
Sunday, September 22
Women's Volleyball Game Highlights vs Pepperdine
Sunday, September 22
Women's Volleyball Post Game Press Conference Vs Washington State
Saturday, September 21
Women's Volleyball Game Highlights vs Washington State
Saturday, September 21
