Moni Nikolov Named 2025 AVCA National Collegiate Player Of The Year

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Adding to a historic freshman season, Long Beach State’s Moni Nikolov was named 2025 AVCA National Collegiate Player of the Year. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) made the announcement on Friday evening at the NCAA Championship Social.

Nikolov joins his older brother Alex Nikolov as just the second player in AVCA history to win both the AVCA Newcomer of the Year and National Collegiate Player of the Year awards in the same season. Making the honor even more unique, the Nikolov brothers are the only sibling pair in AVCA history to win National Player of the Year.

Nikolov becomes the eighth Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball player to earn National Player of the Year honors as he is now part of an elite club that features Long Beach legends Brent Hilliard (1992), Tyler Hildebrand (2006), Paul Lotman (2008), Taylor Crabb (2013), TJ DeFalco (2017, 2019), Josh Tuaniga (2018), and Alex Nikolov (2022).

In a sensational rookie campaign, Nikolov has collected numerous honors and has broken several records. The 6-foot-10 setter out of Sofia, Bulgaria has totaled 97 aces this season to set the Long Beach State program and Big West single-season records. He is just three service aces shy of tying the NCAA single-season aces record. His 97 aces shattered the previous LBSU record set 17 years ago by Paul Lotman (60 in 2008) by nearly 40. In just one season, Nikolov ranks ninth in Long Beach State career records. Additionally, his 0.94 service aces per set leads the nation.

With what is believed to be the fastest recorded serve in NCAA history, Nikolov recorded a career-high eight aces to tie for second in the LBSU single-match record book. That mark is also a new Walter Pyramid single-match record and is good for seventh in the NCAA Record Book for service aces in a five-set match. Additionally, he has led the Beach to 227 aces this year as the 2025 team set a new program record by topping the 2008 squad that had 210 aces in a single-season.

This year, Nikolov has done an excellent job leading Long Beach State to a nation-leading .395 team hitting percentage, which currently ranks third all-time in the NCAA, coming in behind only the 2019 Hawaii squad (.435) and the 2019 LBSU team (.414).

Nikolov has contributed on all sides of the ball with 10.00 assists per set which is good for 14th in the nation and third in The Big West. He leads the Beach with 1.51 digs per set and ranks in the Top 10 in the conference. With 0.76 blocks per set, Nikolov is second on the team and 11th in The Big West. He also chips in on the offensive attack averaging 1.56 kills per set this year.

The AVCA National Collegiate Player of the Year award adds to his already impressive resume that includes AVCA Newcomer of the Year, AVCA All-America First Team, Big West Player of the Year, Big West Freshman of the Year, All-Big West First Team selection, and All-Big West Freshman Team. Earlier this season, Nikolov won The Big West Setter of the Week award three times and The Big West Freshman of the Week honor on seven separate occasions.

Winning the National Player of the Year award as a freshman puts Nikolov in elite company across NCAA Division I athletics. He now joins the short list of Kevin Durant (2007), Anthony Davis (2012), Johnny Manziel (2012), Jameis Winston (2013), Zion Williamson (2019), Paige Bueckers (2021), and Alex Nikolov (2022).