Latest news with #MoniNikolov
CBS News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Parade celebrates Cal State Long Beach men's volleyball 2025 NCAA champs
For the fourth time in program history, the California State University Long Beach men's volleyball team holds the 2025 NCAA championship title. The final NCAA Men's Volleyball National Championship game took place Monday in Ohio, where the Beach swept UCLA, 25-17, 25-23 and 25-21. To celebrate, a victory parade will take place Wednesday beginning at 11 a.m. in downtown Long Beach. The community is invited to join along the parade route on Pine Avenue, from Fifth Street to Third Street. An 11:30 a.m. reception takes place at Altar Society Brewing Co. COLUMBUS, OHIO - MAY 12: Moni Nikolov #1 of the Long Beach State Beach hits a kill against the UCLA Bruins during the Division I Men's Volleyball Championship held at the Covelli Center on May 12, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images It's been six years since the Beach took the championship title, in 2019. Long Beach State also won in 2018 and in 1991 when current coach Alan Knipe was a player. Freshman Moni Nikolov, who at 6-foot-10, was named the NCAA All-Tournament MVP and holds the Big West Player of the Year title. The team was ranked No. 1 in the nation for the final 14 weeks of the season. Long Beach State is home to several notable volleyball players including two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor, US National Team player Alan Knipe, and National Championship team players TJ DeFalco and Kyle Ensing. COLUMBUS, OHIO - MAY 12: The Long Beach State Beach celebrate their victory against the UCLA Bruins during the Division I Men's Volleyball Championship held at the Covelli Center on May 12, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Nikolov leads Long Beach St. to three-set sweep over UCLA to claim NCAA volleyball crown
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Freshman Moni Nikolov posted six kills, four aces and a pair of digs and Long Beach State beat UCLA 25-17, 25-23 and 25-21 to win the NCAA men's volleyball tournament on Monday night. It was the Beach's (30-3) fourth championship in program history and first since 2019. Long Beach State also won the title in 2018 and claimed its first title in 1991 when current coach Alan Knipe was a player.
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Nikolov leads Long Beach St. to three-set sweep over UCLA to claim NCAA volleyball crown
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Freshman Moni Nikolov posted six kills, four aces and a pair of digs and Long Beach State beat UCLA 25-17, 25-23 and 25-21 to win the NCAA men's volleyball tournament on Monday night. It was the Beach's (30-3) fourth championship in program history and first since 2019. Long Beach State also won the title in 2018 and claimed its first title in 1991 when current coach Alan Knipe was a player. The 6-foot-10 Nikolov, who just turned 18, started the match with an opening-serve ace and ended UCLA's two-time reign with a thunderous kill. 'Not for one second did we think we were going to lose that game,' Nikolov said. 'Before the game in the locker room we told each other we were here. We were born for this (expletive) game.' The animated Nikolov paused, apologized for his faux pas and went on to say: 'We were built for this game. Even when we were down five, we trusted each other because we knew we were the better team.' Trailing 1-0, UCLA led 18-13 in the second set before the nation's No. 1-ranked team outscored the Bruins 12-5 for a two-point win. In the third set, Alex Kandev's kill gave Long Beach State a 4-3 lead and the Beach led for the remainder. Kandev finished with a .452 hitting percentage. The Bruins entered the tournament with the second highest hitting efficiency in the country but were stifled in part by Long Beach State's length and were outhit by the Beach .354 to .192. UCLA's Cooper Robinson finished with a .381 hitting percentage. The championship match was the third meeting between the two teams this season with Long Beach State owning a 9-1 set advantage. Long Beach State dropped just a single set as it beat Fort Valley State 3-0 and Pepperdine 3-1. Two-time defending champion UCLA (22-7) sought to become college volleyball's first three-peat champion since the Bruins' won four in a row from 1981-84. ___ AP college sports:
