Friday, January 9
Long Beach, Calif.
7 p.m.
Long Beach State University
vs
Lindenwood
No. 3 Beach Begin 2026 Campaign with Home Matches Against Lindenwood, No. 15 McKendree
1/8/2026 3:34:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
The reigning national champions host Lindenwood on Friday before welcoming No. 15 McKendree to the Pyramid in a marquee early-season test.
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Fresh off a national championship season, No. 3 Long Beach State Men's Volleyball opens the 2026 campaign at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid with a pair of home matches, beginning with a season opener against Lindenwood on Friday, January 9, followed by a ranked showdown with No. 15 McKendree on Saturday. The opening weekend marks the start of a demanding schedule for the Beach, who enter the season as a Big West preseason favorite and a consensus national contender.
In the Rankings
• After finishing the 2025 season as the National Champion, Long Beach State starts the 2026 season ranked No. 3 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Beach garnered 460 total points and five first-place votes.
• McKendree is ranked No. 15 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Bearcats accumulated 167 points.
• The Big West is one of the most competitive Division I Men's Volleyball conferences as all six Big West schools are nationally ranked, with No. 2 Hawai'i and No 3. Long Beach State sitting in the Top 5.
• This season, Long Beach State will face ten nationally ranked opponents in No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Hawai'i, No. 4 Pepperdine, No. 10 UC San Diego, No. 11 CSUN, No. 13 Penn State, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 15 McKendree, No. 17 UC Santa Barbara and No. 19 George Mason. Additionally, the Beach will play one team that is receiving votes in Fort Valley State (9).
About The Beach
• No. 3 Long Beach State open the 2026 campaign looking to build on a national championship 2025 season which saw the Beach post a 30-3 overall record. The Beach went 9-1 in Big West action winning their fourth-straight regular season title and fourth national championship title.
• Long time Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe retired after his championship 22nd season. The winningest coach in LBSU Men's Volleyball program history, Knipe owns a career record of 449-171 for a winning percentage of .724.
• Replacing Knipe at the helm is long-time former Associate Head Coach Nick MacRae. MacRae is joined by Assistant Coaches McKay Smith, Amir-Lugo Rodriguez, Matt Prosser and Technical Coordinator Jon Parry. MacRae, a seasoned coach under Knipe, has worked at Long Beach State for the last 13 seasons helping Long Beach State capture three NCAA National Titles, two Big West Championships, and has helped lead the Beach to eight NCAA Final Four appearances.
• The Beach return 12 players from one year ago and welcome five newcomers.
• Senior Skyler Varga and Sophomore Alex Kandev, both returners, were named to the 2026 Big West Preseason Team. Varga returns as one of the nation's premier attackers. Both earned NCAA All-Tournament Team honors for their performance in the NCAA Championship match. Varga finished the 2025 campaign with 270 kills (2.73 per set) on a .368 attack percentage, while adding 33 service aces, 70 total blocks, and 341 points across 99 sets. In addition to his on-court excellence, Varga also received CSC Academic All-America recognition. Kandev concluded his freshman season with 210 kills (3.23 per set) while hitting .458, and added 21 aces, 36 blocks, and 250 points in 65 sets.
North American Challenge
Long Beach State hosted the North American Challenge, a preseason exhibition tournament, featuring a total of four teams from the United States and Canada.
The tournament took place on Friday, Jan. 2 and Saturday, Jan. 4 with four matches played on day one and four on day two. The tournament was held in both the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid and the Gold Mine.
The United States won the tournament after sweeping all eight matches over two days.
The Beach were led by senior outside hitter Skyler Varga who was named MVP of the Tournament.
Big West Preseason Favorite
The Big West released its 2026 Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and Team, and defending Big West regular season and National Champion Long Beach State was selected as the preseason favorite. The Beach garnered 24 total points and four first-place votes from league head coaches, signaling strong expectations for another elite season.
Long Beach State's status as a national powerhouse was further reinforced in the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll (Dec. 23), where the Beach were ranked No. 3 nationally behind UCLA and Hawai'i.
The Beach also placed multiple student-athletes on the 2026 Big West Preseason Coaches' Team, as Skyler Varga and Alex Kandev earned preseason recognition following standout performances during Long Beach State's championship 2025 season.
Following Long Beach State atop the Big West preseason poll, Hawai'i was chosen second with 22 points and two first-place votes, and UC Irvine was tabbed third with 17 points. CSUN, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara rounded out the poll, each earning nine points.
In the Rankings
• After finishing the 2025 season as the National Champion, Long Beach State starts the 2026 season ranked No. 3 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Beach garnered 460 total points and five first-place votes.
• McKendree is ranked No. 15 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Bearcats accumulated 167 points.
• The Big West is one of the most competitive Division I Men's Volleyball conferences as all six Big West schools are nationally ranked, with No. 2 Hawai'i and No 3. Long Beach State sitting in the Top 5.
• This season, Long Beach State will face ten nationally ranked opponents in No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Hawai'i, No. 4 Pepperdine, No. 10 UC San Diego, No. 11 CSUN, No. 13 Penn State, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 15 McKendree, No. 17 UC Santa Barbara and No. 19 George Mason. Additionally, the Beach will play one team that is receiving votes in Fort Valley State (9).
About The Beach
• No. 3 Long Beach State open the 2026 campaign looking to build on a national championship 2025 season which saw the Beach post a 30-3 overall record. The Beach went 9-1 in Big West action winning their fourth-straight regular season title and fourth national championship title.
• Long time Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe retired after his championship 22nd season. The winningest coach in LBSU Men's Volleyball program history, Knipe owns a career record of 449-171 for a winning percentage of .724.
• Replacing Knipe at the helm is long-time former Associate Head Coach Nick MacRae. MacRae is joined by Assistant Coaches McKay Smith, Amir-Lugo Rodriguez, Matt Prosser and Technical Coordinator Jon Parry. MacRae, a seasoned coach under Knipe, has worked at Long Beach State for the last 13 seasons helping Long Beach State capture three NCAA National Titles, two Big West Championships, and has helped lead the Beach to eight NCAA Final Four appearances.
• The Beach return 12 players from one year ago and welcome five newcomers.
• Senior Skyler Varga and Sophomore Alex Kandev, both returners, were named to the 2026 Big West Preseason Team. Varga returns as one of the nation's premier attackers. Both earned NCAA All-Tournament Team honors for their performance in the NCAA Championship match. Varga finished the 2025 campaign with 270 kills (2.73 per set) on a .368 attack percentage, while adding 33 service aces, 70 total blocks, and 341 points across 99 sets. In addition to his on-court excellence, Varga also received CSC Academic All-America recognition. Kandev concluded his freshman season with 210 kills (3.23 per set) while hitting .458, and added 21 aces, 36 blocks, and 250 points in 65 sets.
North American Challenge
Long Beach State hosted the North American Challenge, a preseason exhibition tournament, featuring a total of four teams from the United States and Canada.
The tournament took place on Friday, Jan. 2 and Saturday, Jan. 4 with four matches played on day one and four on day two. The tournament was held in both the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid and the Gold Mine.
The United States won the tournament after sweeping all eight matches over two days.
The Beach were led by senior outside hitter Skyler Varga who was named MVP of the Tournament.
Big West Preseason Favorite
The Big West released its 2026 Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and Team, and defending Big West regular season and National Champion Long Beach State was selected as the preseason favorite. The Beach garnered 24 total points and four first-place votes from league head coaches, signaling strong expectations for another elite season.
Long Beach State's status as a national powerhouse was further reinforced in the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll (Dec. 23), where the Beach were ranked No. 3 nationally behind UCLA and Hawai'i.
The Beach also placed multiple student-athletes on the 2026 Big West Preseason Coaches' Team, as Skyler Varga and Alex Kandev earned preseason recognition following standout performances during Long Beach State's championship 2025 season.
Following Long Beach State atop the Big West preseason poll, Hawai'i was chosen second with 22 points and two first-place votes, and UC Irvine was tabbed third with 17 points. CSUN, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara rounded out the poll, each earning nine points.
Players Mentioned
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