UCLA men’s volleyball’s 2025 season is officially over after getting swept by Long Beach State in the NCAA tournament final at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio, on May 12. Assistant Sports editor Connor Dullinger gives his five main takeaways from the Bruins’ 2024-2025 season and predictions for what the future holds.
Goodbye Robinson
Redshirt junior outside hitter Cooper Robinson sits on the bench. (Edward Ho/Daily Bruin)
When former outside hitter Ethan Champlin graduated last season, many speculated on how the Bruins could replace the three-time AVCA First Team All-American.
And while many saw redshirt junior Cooper Robinson as the likely successor to Champlin, few thought the outside hitter would end up achieving such feats in 2025.
Simply put: He blew expectations out of the water.
The 2025 MPSF Player of the Year and AVCA First Team All-American ranked 11th in the country in hitting percentageand 25th in kills per set with a .387clip and 3.56tally, respectively.
Robinson tallied a .300-plus hitting percentage and double-digit kills in seven of his final 10 matches. He also finished the 2025 campaign leading the team with 365 kills, 120 digs and 41service aces.
Robinson, however, has officially played his last game in the blue and gold – he will likely be playing professionally overseas next year.
The Bruins will now need to replace Robinson, and just like Champlain, it will be no easy feat.
The core four
Five Bruins are set to graduate in June.
Three were mainstays in the starting lineup – redshirt junior trio middle blocker Sean McQuiggan, libero Matthew Aziz and Robinson.
However, the Bruins should retain four key starters heading into the 2026 season – three are 2025 AVCA All-American selections, and two were integral to UCLA’s back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024.
Junior setter Andrew Rowan may be the team’s most important key for next season. The three-time AVCA First Team All-American has been instrumental in pacing the Bruins’ offense since he stepped foot into Westwood.
UCLA should also return junior middle blocker Cameron Thorne – a two-time AVCA All-American – who not only led the team with a .521 hitting percentage, but also ranks 13thin the nation with 1.06 blocks per set.
Joining Thorne and Rowan is the outside hitter tandem of junior Zach Rama and freshman Sean Kelly. Rama found success in the back half of the season playing at the opposite spot but will most likely slide into the number one outside hitter position, alongside Kelly, after Robinson’s departure.
In the latter half of the season, Rama went 10 straight matches with double-digit kills while being named to the NCAA All-tournament team after sporting 31 kills across three NCAA tournament matches.
Kelly himself earned All-MPSF honorable mention distinctions and boasted double-digit kills in eight of his last 11 affairs.
Where is the libero?
Sophomore outside hitter Luca Curci digs the ball while playing as a libero. (Lex Wang/Daily Bruin senior staff)
The libero position hasn’t been addressed since former Bruin Troy Gooch graduated two years ago.
UCLA attempted a makeshift dual-libero strategy by using former Bruin outside hitter Alex Knight and Aziz in 2024 and Aziz and sophomore outside hitter Luca Curci in 2025.
And while 2024 ended with a national championship, 2025 proved the Bruins need a solidified defensive stalwart to patrol the backline.
UCLA ranked outside the nation’s top 50 in digs per set, and Curci alone sported 36 of UCLA’s 147 total reception errors.
And with Aziz graduating, the only liberos on the roster are Curci, junior Coleman McDonough and freshman Matthew Chun.
Chun has yet to play a set, while McDonough has played in just 13 sets.
While Curci remains on the roster, there is still a question whether coach John Hawks will utilize Curci as the sole backline defender, continue the libero-tandem strategy with another Bruin or recruit a traditional libero through the transfer portal.
Regardless of what Hawks decides, there will likely be new faces at libero. And if there aren’t, then reception may very well continue to be a problem for the Bruins next season.
Open spots aplenty
Sophomore middle blocker Thiago Zamprogno comes together with his teammates after scoring a point while redshirt junior outside hitter Cooper Robinson raises his arms in celebration. (Juliet Zhang/Daily Bruin)
Despite the return of four starters, three starting positions are up for grabs come 2026.
The first – and arguably most important – is the third pin hitting spot behind Rama and Kelly. While I expect redshirt sophomore opposite David Decker to fill in, I wouldn’t count out incoming recruit pin hitter Grayson Bradford.
The 6-foot-11 Manhattan Beach, California, local is a top recruit in the nation and plays for one of the best high school volleyball teams in the country at Mira Costa.
With a dominant frame that should help fortify the Bruins’ block, his powerful hitting will also help their attack.
UCLA will also need a backup middle blocker to play second fiddle to Thorne. Here, I could see either of incoming juniors Thiago Zamprogno or Micah Wong Diallo taking the mantle formerly manned by McQuiggan.
While Diallo played in just 12 sets this season, he contributed at least three kills in four of his five appearances. On the other hand, Zamprogno played in 16 sets and eclipsed a season-high six kills in seven attempts against UC Irvine on Jan. 23.
The Bruins could bring in a middle blocker through the transfer portal, and I expect Hawks to recruit a libero to take over their defensive duties.
Fresh faces
While I expect Bradford to potentially slot in as one of the starting pin hitters, the Bruins also bring a plethora of other recruits.
UCLA-signed pin hitter Filippos Chrysostomou, who played for club team Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. Touting professional volleyball experience and regarded as one of the most promising players in Europe, Chrysostomou could see playing time in his first year in Westwood.
Libero Brogan Glenn will also join the Bruins next season, and with the absence of proven defensive stalwarts on the roster, Glenn could be a shoo-in for the libero spot come 2026.
Joining Bradford and Chrysostomou on the outside is Marek Turner, who played for both the USA U21 and U19 national teams in 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Setter Rafa Urbinawill join an already loaded position group that includes Rowan and freshman setter Trent Taliaferro. Urbina won best setter at the 2024 NORCECA Continental Championships.
With immense roster turnover during the past two seasons – and two to three starting spots lying out in the open – fresh faces could see a role on the court come 2026.
If you wanted a quiet week to process the end of the volleyball season, you picked the wrong sport.
Just days after Kentucky’s historic 27-match winning streak was snapped in a painful 3-0 National Championship loss to Texas A&M, the program was hit with the full “joy and anguish” of the Transfer Portal era.
Craig Skinner didn’t waste time sulking. He went out and landed one of the most dangerous attackers in the country. But in true portal fashion, the news came with a price tag attached. and this one is going to annoy the fanbase.
The Joy: Morgan Gaerte is a problem
First, the massive news. Kentucky announced the signing of Morgan Gaerte, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Notre Dame who joins the Wildcats with two years of eligibility remaining.
This isn’t a depth piece. This is a legitimate “terminator.”
Gaerte was a First Team All-ACC selection in 2025 and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. Her numbers at Notre Dame were video game stuff:
497 kills (School record for the rally-scoring era)
4.64 kills per set (Mammoth production)
22 straight matches with 10+ kills
Skinner needs firepower to replace what is leaving, and Gaerte is exactly that. She hails from Indiana (ranked the No. 5 player in the nation coming out of high school) and brings the kind of heavy arm that can take over a fifth set, or even prevent it from going that far.
The anguish: Brooke Bultema to the enemy Cards
Now for the part that requires a deep breath.
Shortly after the Gaerte announcement, sophomore middle blocker Brooke Bultema announced she was entering the portal. Transfers happen. Players want playing time. That is part of the game.
The problem? She is transferring to Louisville.
Bultema was efficient when she played (.264 hitting percentage, 0.96 blocks per set), even though her minutes dipped down the stretch. Losing a productive sophomore hurts; losing her to the Cardinals adds a layer of rivalry bitterness that won’t go away quietly.
“Leaving Kentucky was the hardest decision of my life,” Bultema said in her statement. “Not only because I was leaving a school I loved, but people that have forever changed my life for the better.”
Craig Skinner’s message: The fire is lit
Despite the whiplash, Craig Skinner sounded like a coach who is ready to run it back.
“Man. What a ride! This team rejuvenated my fire for coaching,” Skinner said, thanking the 38,000 fans who packed Memorial Coliseum this season. “Thank you, BBN, for being with us every step of the way.”
The 2025 season ended in heartbreak, and the offseason started with a rivalry trade-off. But adding a weapon like Gaerte proves one thing: Kentucky intends to be right back in the Final Four conversation next December.
Not many volleyball players in the North Bay have had a two-year run quite like Cardinal Newman’s Cienna Alvarez.
A transfer from Vintage High School two years ago, Alvarez made an immediate impact for the Cardinals in 2024, helping her team tally more than 20 wins for a second straight season.
Newman reached the semifinal round of the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs that year and qualified for the Northern California regional tournament, where the Cardinals won their first-round match.
This fall, Alvarez was a focal point for the Cardinals in her senior campaign. She welcomed the pressure and ran with it, leading the way as Newman improved on last year’s finish.
For her success on one of the area’s top teams, Alvarez is more than deserving to be named The Press Democrat’s Volleyball Player of the Year.
This fall, Newman finished second in the North Bay League Oak division behind area powerhouse Windsor and third in the NCS Division 2 playoffs, again qualifying for the the state’s Northern California tourney.
Alvarez was at the center of it all, earning double-doubles in kills and digs almost every match and taking over when needed — like when she put up a season high of 29 kills in a 3-1 win over Salesian to send Newman to NorCals for a third straight year.
In the second round of the Division II bracket, 10th-seeded Newman had No. 2 St. Francis on the ropes, but the Cardinals ultimately fell short in a five-set thriller.
Still, Alvarez had another of her double-doubles with 27 kills and 14 digs to keep her team on the verge of an upset.
She ended the season with 466 kills, the fourth-highest total in the entire North Coast Section. She also earned 41 aces and 263 digs to cap her high school career.
Happy Holidays! I hope you are enjoying quality time with family and friends this holiday season.
We’re excited to have been invited to the JLab Birmingham Bowl. What a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes and football staff to represent App State on a national stage against Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern!
Football Goes Bowling
When the bowl invitation call came, we enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to compete one more time. It is an honor in college football to participate in Bowl Season, and we are excited for our program and our Mountaineer seniors to have the opportunity to compete again this season.
We are also looking forward to a promising 2026 season. Earlier this month, Coach Loggains and his staff brought in the highest-rated signing class in App State Football and Sun Belt history. The upcoming January transfer portal is another opportunity to further bolster next year’s roster with future Mountaineers to represent the Black and Gold.
Positioning App State Football for Success
App State is recognized as a national brand in college athletics and a leader in alumni and fan support for our programs, specifically football.
The landscape of college athletics continues to evolve. App State is prepared and will aggressively be positioned for sustained success.
Our football program has historically been one of the most successful programs in the FBS. App State has participated in nine bowl games in the past 11 years and annually leads the Sun Belt Conference in attendance and football ticket revenue.
Our fans have been generous to the Mountaineers, and we are grateful. But for us to continue to compete at the highest levels, we must grow our fan support, our fundraising and our revenue generation efforts to provide the football program with the tools and resources to compete.
Supporting App State Athletics
Expenses in college athletics continue to rise. To reach comprehensive excellence, we need your continued support. Our current donors, new and prospective donors, corporate sponsors, fans and alumni all play a vital role in our comprehensive strategy moving forward.
We need to be more innovative in the creation of new revenue streams through hosting additional events and entertainment experiences.
We all must elevate the urgency and execution of our efforts. We will continue to enhance the holistic student-athlete experience while strategically expanding our revenue share and NIL support. Our entire athletics department is committed to accelerating growth while building a sustainable foundation for the future.
Many have asked how you can help move our programs forward. A gift to our sport-specific funds is a direct investment in:
NIL and Revenue Share: Help us recruit and retain elite student-athletes by strengthening NIL and revenue share support.
Student-Athlete Experience: Enhance the student-athlete experience including resources that support nutrition, student-athlete development, training and well-being.
Long-Term Success: Provide competitive resources that allows our programs to sustain success in the Sun Belt and nationally.
Your support – whether through the Yosef Club, tickets, merchandise, sponsorships, student-athlete NIL, concessions or attending any of our events – plays a vital role in the success of our programs. App State Athletics is built on the passion and generosity of App Nation, and we would not be where we are today without you.
Winter Sports Update
Coming off three straight SoCon title-winning seasons, Wrestling is off to another strong start with a 31-8 dual win against Duke and competitive showings against No. 10 NC State and No. 20 West Virginia.
Men’s Basketball has compiled an 8-6 record that includes exciting wins against regional rivals Charlotte, East Carolina, High Point and Coastal Carolina.
Women’s Basketball also has a winning record (6-5) with nonconference victories over Western Michigan, Wofford, UNC Asheville and Gardner-Webb.
In the first meet of the indoor track & field season, the Mountaineer women’s 4×400-meter squad broke a meet record for the first of what could be many records for this year’s track & field teams.
Facilities Progress
Following the recent East Tower Advanced Planning announcement, a Kidd Brewer Stadium renovation survey will be sent out in the near future. We will be asking App State fans to provide vital feedback as planning progresses.
Construction on the new Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility is progressing, including significant grading work to prepare for the larger footprint of the new building.
Baseball’s new hitting facility extension is currently in the bid process, with construction to commence in 2026.
The Mildred Southern indoor tennis facility is on pace for completion in April.
There is much to look forward to in 2026 as we close the book on another memorable year in App State Sports.
Buy your season and single-game tickets for all ticketed sports at appstatesports.com/tickets. Football season tickets will go on sale in early January.
Please join us at the Mountaineer Laughs comedy show on Jan. 16 in downtown Boone, with proceeds going to support App State Athletics.
We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and a great start to the new year!
Titan Media industry provides footage for the Kiani North’s signing day.
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VICTORIA, Tx – Victoria East High School athletics continue to shine following the Christmas break, as senior track sprinter Kiani North officially signed with the University of North Texas to continue her track and field career.
North put pen to paper earlier today, marking the next step in a journey defined by hard work and standout performances on the track.
Victoria East girls track head coach Jennifer Gantt praised North’s talent and growth, calling her a special athlete to watch.
“She is a beautiful runner. She’s got such a beautiful stride, and it’s so fun to watch her compete,” Gantt said. “I know I’m looking forward to the next track season — our last one together. You’re going to see great things from her, but more importantly, I’m excited to see what she can do at the next level. Like he said, the door’s wide open. We’re excited for you.”
For North, the signing represents the payoff of years of dedication and discipline.
“It feels really amazing — like, really rewarding,” North said. “If you work hard to achieve your dreams, you will get it. I’m excited for the new environment, I’m excited for the track meets for sure, and I’m just excited to be a part of this program.”
North will join the Mean Green track and field team as she prepares for her final high school track season at Victoria East.
Omaha, NEB — League One Volleyball is set to open its second season in January, and LOVB Nebraska enters the year with momentum, experience, and a culture built on connection.
The Nebraska-based squad features a blend of Olympians, national champions, and former Nebraska Cornhuskers, a mix that players say has helped foster strong chemistry both on and off the court.
“They care a lot about impact and significance and connection and relationships,” head coach Suzie Fritz said. “And I cannot speak enough to the phenomenal women that I spend my days with. They are extraordinary.”
That respect for the game — and for each other — is something players believe will translate directly to success during the season.
“I think one thing Susie does well is creating a culture,” former Husker Jordan Larson said. “Obviously, right now we haven’t competed, so the measurement is ourselves. When tension starts to rise, having a great culture and foundation is important to fall back on.”
LOVB Nebraska leaned on that foundation last season, even when challenges arose.
“You take last season, where we had a few bumps in the road,” Larson said. “What really paid off in the end was that we had a healthy culture and were able to perform when it really mattered.”
Players say that culture feels even stronger heading into year two.
“Chemistry always plays a big part, and that starts with what you do off the court,” former Husker Lexi Rodriguez said. “The coaching staff really emphasizes that culture piece, which helps when things aren’t going as well during the season.”
The result, they say, is a team that not only competes well but is also enjoyable to watch.
“Everyone gets along so well,” Rodriguez said. “We’re really just vibing and jiving and having a good time together, and I think it makes us pretty fun to watch.”
LOVB Nebraska opens the season on the road Jan. 7 at Austin. The home opener is scheduled for Jan. 11 against Houston. The team will also play a March matchup at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island.
The college volleyball world is still stunned by Texas A&M’s utter domination of its championship run through the Final Four and the national title path. One of the top players in the country played a key role in that run and historic season.
Senior Logan Lednicky is an Aggie legacy who had a childhood dream of attending Texas A&M. As she progressed in her volleyball career, that goal shifted to bringing a volleyball title to Aggieland.
The future Aggie Hall of Famer achieved that goal under the tutelage of A&M head coach Jamie Morrison, the 2025 AVCA Coach of the Year, and helped develop her into a professional volleyball player.
While her name will forever be in the record books as being part of the first-ever Texas A&M volleyball team to win a title, she also set an impressive individual record. Lednicky’s 1,686 kills are the most in program history in the rally-scoring era for one of the more accomplished volleyball careers at A&M.
Logan Lednicky Career stats:
Kills: 1686 / 3.97 per set
Hitting %: .269
Blocks: 378 / 0.9 per set
Aces: 49 / .12 per set
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
