Moni Nikolov Named AVCA Newcomer of the Year, LBSU Boasts Five All-Americans
5/5/2025 10:25:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Moni Nikolov and Skyler Varga earn AVCA First Team All-America honors, while DiAeris McRaven is selected to the Second Team, and Daniil Hershtynovich and Kellen Larson garner Honorable Mention accolades
LONG BEACH, Calif. – On Monday morning, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the 2025 AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball All-America Teams, and Long Beach State garnered five selections led by freshman Moni Nikolov's AVCA Newcomer of the Year honor. Additionally, Nikolov, along with Skyler Varga, took home AVCA First Team All-America accolades, while DiAeris McRaven garnered Second Team honors, and Daniil Hershtynovich and Kellen Larson were claimed Honorable Mention status.
The 2025 list includes 24 players – 12 each on the first and second teams – from 11 schools. The AVCA will name its 2025 Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year on Wednesday, May 7 at 8 a.m. (PT). The 2025 Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, May 9 around 4:30 p.m. (PT).
After being named Big West Player and Freshman of the Year, Nikolov continues to build his impressive resume with an AVCA Newcomer of the Year honor as well as a nod to the AVCA All-America First Team. With the individual award, Nikolov becomes the fourth Long Beach State player to take home the honor following Tyler Hildebrand (2003), TJ DeFalco (2016), and his brother Alex Nikolov (2022).
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot-10 Nikolov has turned in a record-breaking rookie season. He is currently ranked 14th in the nation with 9.99 assists per set, and has led the Beach to a nation-leading .396 team hitting percentage. The setter out of Sofia, Bulgaria has been extraordinary from the service line with a program and conference single-season record of 94 aces. He is just seven aces away from setting a new NCAA record. With a nation-leading 0.94 aces per set, Nikolov has led LBSU to a 2.21 aces per set average this season, which also tops the country. With Nikolov pacing the team, Long Beach State has served up a new program-record 221 aces this season so far.
Joining Nikolov on the AVCA All-America First Team is junior outside hitter Skyler Varga, who was just named All-Big West Honorable Mention for the second time in his career. The Muenster, Saskatchewan native leads the Big West with a .377 attack percentage, a mark that ranks him 14th in the country. Additionally, his 2.81 kills, 3.56 points, 0.74 blocks, and 0.35 aces per set put him in the top 10 in The Big West. Varga has recorded 13 double-figure kill performances and has led the Beach in kills 11 times. His 18 kills against Pepperdine on January 26 and his eight blocks versus NJIT on March 21 set new season-highs for Varga.
DiAeris McRaven has compiled a successful senior season so far which has earned him All-Big West First Team accolades as well as an All-American Second Team selection. The 6-foot-5 middle blocker from Honolulu, Hawaii leads the Beach with 0.97 blocks per set, a mark that is good for third in The Big West and 27th in the NCAA. He also adds 1.28 kills per set on a .469 hitting percentage (111-28-177). This season, McRaven has led Long Beach in blocking defense nine times with a career-high eight blocks against NJIT on March 21.
Daniil Hershtynovich collects Honorable Mention honors after ranking in The Big West top 10 in four different categories. He ranks fourth in the conference in kills per set (3.18), points per set (3.77), and hitting percentage (.354), while coming in ninth in blocks per set (0.74). His kills and points per set averages lead Long Beach State and his attack percentage is good for 19th in the nation. Earlier this season, he recorded a career-high 20 kills at Lewis on January 18, then posted a career-best six blocks against NJIT on March 21. Hershtynovich has logged 12 double-figure kills showings this season, and has led LBSU in kills on eight separate occasions.
Kellen Larson joins Hershtynovich with an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection after putting together a solid freshman campaign. The rookie libero has anchored the Long Beach State defense which has held its opponents to a nation-leading .209 hitting percentage thus far. Larson has collected 0.76 digs per set and boasts a 0.96 reception percentage through 97 sets. He has led the Beach in digs on six separate occasions and earlier this season dished out a career-high nine digs against UC Santa Barbara on April 4.
No. 1 Long Beach State will begin action at the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, May 8 against No. 8 seed Fort Valley State. First serve is set for 2 p.m. (PT) at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The 2025 list includes 24 players – 12 each on the first and second teams – from 11 schools. The AVCA will name its 2025 Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year on Wednesday, May 7 at 8 a.m. (PT). The 2025 Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, May 9 around 4:30 p.m. (PT).
After being named Big West Player and Freshman of the Year, Nikolov continues to build his impressive resume with an AVCA Newcomer of the Year honor as well as a nod to the AVCA All-America First Team. With the individual award, Nikolov becomes the fourth Long Beach State player to take home the honor following Tyler Hildebrand (2003), TJ DeFalco (2016), and his brother Alex Nikolov (2022).
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot-10 Nikolov has turned in a record-breaking rookie season. He is currently ranked 14th in the nation with 9.99 assists per set, and has led the Beach to a nation-leading .396 team hitting percentage. The setter out of Sofia, Bulgaria has been extraordinary from the service line with a program and conference single-season record of 94 aces. He is just seven aces away from setting a new NCAA record. With a nation-leading 0.94 aces per set, Nikolov has led LBSU to a 2.21 aces per set average this season, which also tops the country. With Nikolov pacing the team, Long Beach State has served up a new program-record 221 aces this season so far.
Joining Nikolov on the AVCA All-America First Team is junior outside hitter Skyler Varga, who was just named All-Big West Honorable Mention for the second time in his career. The Muenster, Saskatchewan native leads the Big West with a .377 attack percentage, a mark that ranks him 14th in the country. Additionally, his 2.81 kills, 3.56 points, 0.74 blocks, and 0.35 aces per set put him in the top 10 in The Big West. Varga has recorded 13 double-figure kill performances and has led the Beach in kills 11 times. His 18 kills against Pepperdine on January 26 and his eight blocks versus NJIT on March 21 set new season-highs for Varga.
DiAeris McRaven has compiled a successful senior season so far which has earned him All-Big West First Team accolades as well as an All-American Second Team selection. The 6-foot-5 middle blocker from Honolulu, Hawaii leads the Beach with 0.97 blocks per set, a mark that is good for third in The Big West and 27th in the NCAA. He also adds 1.28 kills per set on a .469 hitting percentage (111-28-177). This season, McRaven has led Long Beach in blocking defense nine times with a career-high eight blocks against NJIT on March 21.
Daniil Hershtynovich collects Honorable Mention honors after ranking in The Big West top 10 in four different categories. He ranks fourth in the conference in kills per set (3.18), points per set (3.77), and hitting percentage (.354), while coming in ninth in blocks per set (0.74). His kills and points per set averages lead Long Beach State and his attack percentage is good for 19th in the nation. Earlier this season, he recorded a career-high 20 kills at Lewis on January 18, then posted a career-best six blocks against NJIT on March 21. Hershtynovich has logged 12 double-figure kills showings this season, and has led LBSU in kills on eight separate occasions.
Kellen Larson joins Hershtynovich with an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection after putting together a solid freshman campaign. The rookie libero has anchored the Long Beach State defense which has held its opponents to a nation-leading .209 hitting percentage thus far. Larson has collected 0.76 digs per set and boasts a 0.96 reception percentage through 97 sets. He has led the Beach in digs on six separate occasions and earlier this season dished out a career-high nine digs against UC Santa Barbara on April 4.
No. 1 Long Beach State will begin action at the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, May 8 against No. 8 seed Fort Valley State. First serve is set for 2 p.m. (PT) at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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