LBSU took down UCSD 3-0 on Aug. 19 as The Beach teammates celebrated. Long Beach State will face Fort Valley State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko

No.1 seed Long Beach State men’s volleyball (27-3) will take on the No. 8-seeded Fort Valley State Wildcats (18-9) in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship quarterfinals on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio.

The two teams met earlier this season on Jan. 31 in Reno, Nevada, in the Silver State Showdown. It ended the same way as The Beach’s first 23 games did, with a win.

Four Beach players combined for nine aces, and The Beach are no strangers to domination from the service line as they are first in the country in aces per set, with 2.21, and total aces, with 221.

“We’re a great serving team, I think it’s important that we serve really well and win the serve and pass battle because if we do that, we should be going in the right direction,” LBSU redshirt junior opposite hitter Skyler Varga said.

Fort Valley went 12-0 in regular season Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matches, earned the No. 1 seed in the SIAC conference tournament, and won it to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Former LBSU men’s volleyball player TJ DeFalco clutches the championship trophy outside an East Long Beach bar after the 2018 NCAA Championship win over UCLA. Top-ranked LBSU is hoping to bring home another championship from the NCAA tournament that begins May 8 in Columbus, Ohio. Photo credit: Barbara Kingsley-Wilson

The Wildcats’ offensive attack is led by junior outside hitter Isaiah Fedd, who is 14th in the country with 3.84 kills per set.

The game plan heading into Thursday’s match is one you’d expect from a team that has been No.1 in the country since the second week of the season.

“We don’t have to recreate the wheel. What we have to do is focus on the style of volleyball we like to play and then have really good execution and composure with playing that style of volleyball,” LBSU head coach Alan Knipe said.

If The Beach advance to the championship match, which is set for Monday, May 12, that will be their third game in six days, which can take a toll both physically and mentally.

The Beach have played three matches in a week this season, and Knipe said that was on purpose to prepare for the possibility of having to do it in the NCAA Tournament.

“The mindset is to take care of business as sufficiently as we possibly can, but we’re conditioned, our strength and conditioning coach does a great job,” Knipe said. “The guys are dialed.”

Knipe also said that because of the lack of rest between matches, there might be some more playing time for some of the bench players, but they are ready to step up.

Fort Valley’s men’s volleyball program was inaugurated in 2022 and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament last year, where it was also the No. 8 seed, but was dumped from the tournament by No. 1 UCLA.

The Beach hope to repeat what the Bruins did on Thursday, May 8 at 2 p.m.

“Obviously we want to move to the next round, but we can’t move to the next round unless we win this first game,” Varga said.

JONESBORO, Ark. (5/7/25) – Arkansas State track and field begins postseason competition Thursday, traveling to the Shenandoah Valley for the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships.

Hosted by James Madison, competition gets underway at Sentara Park in Harrisonburg, Va., at 9:30 a.m. CT with the decathlon. All three days will be broadcasted live on ESPN+ beginning with track events each day and field event highlights shown throughout the broadcast.

LINKS

TEAMS COMPETING – MEN (10 TEAMS)

App State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, Marshall, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy, ULM

TEAMS COMPETING – WOMEN (13 TEAMS)

App State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison (host), Louisiana, Marshall, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy, ULM

THREE THINGS TO NOTE:

1.     CONFERENCE LEADERS: Entering the conference championships, Arkansas State leads the Sun Belt this season in multiple events, listed below.

MEN

5000 meters: Jacob Pyeatt – 13:35.90 (#32 West, #49 NCAA)

10,000 meters: Jacob Pyeatt – 28:28.50 (#49 West)

110m Hurdles: Colby Eddowes – 13.58 (#15 West, #25 NCAA)

Pole Vault: Bradley Jelmert – 5.55m/18-2.5 (#4 West, #5 NCAA)

Hammer: Noa Isaia – 62.54m/205-2 (#20 West)

Decathlon: Colby Eddowes – 7,681 points (#12 NCAA)



WOMEN

Pole Vault: Carly Pujol – 4.30m/14-1.25 (#20 West, #25 NCAA)

 

2.     REGIONAL STANDINGS: Arkansas State has seven athletes currently in position to qualify for the NCAA West Regionals (May 28-31 in College Station), ranking among the top 48 in their event. A-State’s men have five athletes among the top 48 in at least one event. Bradley Jelmert enters the week fourth in the pole vault, while Colby Eddowes is 15^th in the 110-meter hurdles in addition to being 12^th nationally in the decathlon – an event which takes the top 24 declared athletes nationally. Jacob Pyeatt is 32^nd in the 5000 meters. Menachem Chen ranks 42^nd in the shot put and 43^rd in discus, with Noa Isaia currently 20^th in the hammer throw. On the women’s side, Carly Pujol is 20^th in the pole vault while Michelle Ogbemudia is 21^st in the shot put.

 

3.     ISAIA, PUJOL TABBED ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Last week after winning their respective events at A-State’s Alumni Classic, Noa Isaia and Carly Pujol earned weekly honors by being named the Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Field Athletes of the Week. Isaia won the men’s hammer with a stellar series topped by a throw of 66.22m (217-3), while Pujol won the women’s pole vault for her fifth event title in the last eight meets, clearing 4.06m (13-3.75).  

NEXT UP

After the conference championships, the Red Wolves will compete once more at home before the NCAA West Regionals, hosting the Arkansas State Final Qualifier on Saturday, May 17.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @astatetfxc on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.

Despite falling short in the MPSF semifinals, No. 3 seed UCLA men’s volleyball (20-6, 10-2 MPSF) secured the second at-large bid in this week’s NCAA quarterfinals and will face No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey (17-8, 12-2 Conference Carolinas) on Thursday. Daily Bruin Sports’ men’s volleyball beat predicts how the Bruins will fare as they fight to three-peat as national champions.

Connor Dullinger
Assistant sports editor
Prediction: NCAA champions

I don’t know what to think about this team.

At the end of the regular season, I said the Bruins were “consistently inconsistent.”

[Related: Beat breakdown: UCLA men’s volleyball battles inconsistency in quest to avenge MPSF title]

And I was exactly right to say that.

UCLA won 10 in a row before getting swept by then-No. 13 Grand Canyon on April 4. And following the loss, the Bruins won four consecutive before getting swept again by crosstown rivals USC and falling in five sets to Pepperdine in the MPSF semifinals.

There is no reason why I should believe in UCLA.

But just like I said before: At the MPSF tournament, the best team doesn’t always win, and there isn’t always a fairytale ending.

[Related: UCLA men’s volleyball 2025 MPSF championship predictions]

It is evident that UCLA isn’t the best team in the country, with powerhouses Long Beach State and Hawai’i idling in the bracket.

And the Bruins can be the nightmares to other squads’ championship dreams.

Just as the Bruins surprised me when they fell, they have equally surprised me when they’ve risen again.

And despite my inconsistent assessment of this year’s squad, I said at the beginning of this season that the Bruins have all the makings of a championship-caliber team.

[Related: UCLA men’s volleyball seeks 3-peat championship run amid coach, roster changes]

This is evidenced by four newly honored 2025 AVCA All-Americans in outside hitter duo redshirt junior Cooper Robinson and junior Zach Rama and junior tandem setter Andrew Rowan and middle blocker Cameron Thorne.

Championship genetics reside in every fiber of the Bruins’ veins, cultivated by back-to-back national titles and a nation-leading 21 trophies.

Two weeks ago, I said this team lacks an identity.

Now, I’m saying this could be the year they three-peat.

Lex Wang
Daily Bruin senior staff
Prediction: NCAA champions

In my MPSF tournament takeaways, I wrote that I learned to expect the unexpected.

[Related: Beat Breakdown: Men’s volleyball writers discuss takeaways from the Bruins’ MPSF semifinals loss]

It was a bit of an evasive answer, because who hasn’t seen a top-seeded frontrunner get toppled by the underdog?

It’s a timeless trope that fuels every compelling sports narrative.

But when UCLA unexpectedly failed to get an automatic bid to Columbus, Ohio, I realized this could work in the Bruins’ favor come May.

UCLA can run with the big dogs – that much is clear.

Among the top 10 teams, it defeated then-No. 2 UC Irvine twice in the regular season, who in turn swept No. 1 Long Beach State – the team UCLA would likely face in the national championship – a month later. Furthermore, UCLA took both of its matches against then-No. 7 BYU and defeated Cal State Northridge – who also swept Hawai’i, the team UCLA would probably compete against in the semifinals.

Granted, I’ll admit that UCLA has yet to play Hawai’i since 2023. And, yes, UCLA lost to Long Beach twice while only taking one set combined in both matches.

It’s easy to overlook the sheer amount of talent on the Bruins’ roster when their shortcomings take center stage. But let outside hitter duo redshirt junior Cooper Robinson and junior Zach Rama’s top-30 ranked hitting percentages speak for themselves.

And don’t forget about freshman outside hitter Sean Kelly, who only got to shine for half the season yet still earned an All-MPSF honorable mention. Remember that junior setter Andrew Rowan is the only setter coming to Columbus who has two years of NCAA tournament experience under his belt.

Since UCLA is no longer the top contender and comes into Thursday’s match as the No. 3 seed, viewers seem to largely be anticipating a Long Beach-Hawai’i contest in hopes of a Big West title replay.

I wonder if there’s a chance that the Bruins – arriving as a dark horse – can catch their opponents off guard. And I think with just enough willpower, that answer is yes – and that the Bruins just might be able to hold their own until the end.

Grant Walters
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: NCAA champions

An untarnished resume is a mark of success.

But it can also be a sign of a team’s inevitable collapse.

Such is the case with the 2007 New England Patriots – who lost in Super Bowl XLII despite boasting a 16-0 regular season record – or even the 2015 Kentucky Wildcats, who didn’t have a blemish on their record until the Final Four.

Overcoming adversity is something that builds championship DNA, which is what these teams lacked.

And the anguish of defeat is a luxury that often determines a team’s long-term success.

UCLA has been challenged this season, especially with its recent five-set MPSF semifinals loss to Pepperdine on April 25.

However, this has been a persistent theme throughout the season, since the squad experienced growing pains.

First-year coach John Hawks replaced John Speraw, who captured two national championships during his tenure, and program cornerstones middle blocker Merrick McHenry and outside hitter Ethan Champlin began their professional careers abroad.

Even with these moving pieces, the Bruins still accumulated 20 wins and defeated five top-10 teams in the process.

And the Bruins still have the talent to go the distance. Redshirt junior outside hitter Cooper Robinson and junior setter Andrew Rowan – both of whom were staple pieces on the 2024 national championship campaign and are newly minted 2025 AVCA First Team All-Americans – spearhead an efficient Bruin attack that sports the third-best hitting percentage in the nation with a .367 clip.

Yet it is the Bruins’ breakout pin-hitting duo of junior Zach Rama and freshman Sean Kelly that could represent the squad’s X-factors, amassing a combined 132 kills and 15 aces across their last five outings.

UCLA has consistently grown through constant adversity.

And I expect them to answer the call again, especially with their backs against the wall.

Jacob Nguyen
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: NCAA runner-up

The Bruins had all the potential in the world to win the MPSF championship.

Coming one game short may have been a decent expectation.

But losing in the semifinals to Pepperdine might have been a punch in the mouth.

UCLA finished the regular season with its worst record since 2021 – a clear sign that the gap between the reigning two-time national champions and everyone else is diminishing.

It would not faze me if the Bruins proved me wrong. However, I initially predicted UCLA would bounce back after being swept in the regular season finale by crosstown rivals USC. The squad’s faltering performance in the MPSF semifinals makes me question whether there’s enough resilience in the tank to three-peat.

[Related: UCLA men’s volleyball 2025 MPSF championship predictions]

Assuming No. 3 seed UCLA trumps No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey, No. 2 Hawai’i likely awaits.

The Bruins haven’t faced the Rainbow Warriors since besting them in the 2023 NCAA finals.

However, precedent is no accurate indicator of another UCLA triumph.

Nonetheless, the Bruins boast a trio of First-Team All-Americans, most notably junior middle blocker Cameron Thorne, who is coming off an 11-kill and six-block performance against the Waves.

UCLA has the chops to beat anyone, especially when you pair Thorne’s production with a trio of outside hitters in redshirt junior Cooper Robinson, junior Zach Rama and freshman Sean Kelly.

But volleyball isn’t like basketball.

Each individual set is a game of its own, and every play can typify a whole outcome.

Although past results from this season do not favor UCLA, there may be enough star power to win it all. Nonetheless, my prediction errs on the safer side.

At least, until the Bruins can prove me wrong.

HONOLULU – University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Athletics posted a new record all-sport single-year mark of 987 in the Academic Performance Rate (APR) for the academic year 2023-24 in figures released by the NCAA Tuesday. The score is an average of all UH sports and based out of 1,000.
 
Among the highlights included 10 teams posting perfect single-year scores – a jump from four last year – and the most since the 2018-19 reporting year, when 11 teams posted 1,000. In addition, women’s basketball and men’s swim and dive posted their program’s highest multi-year scores of  995 and 996, respectively.
 
Furthermore, six teams recorded multi-year scores above their sports’ national average – men’s swim and dive, men’s tennis (990), women’s basketball, softball (990), women’s soccer (992), and women’s volleyball (995).
 
UH’s all-sport score of 987 surpassed the previous all-time high of 986 set in 2019-20.
 
The APR is calculated based on the number of student-athletes on scholarship and those who are retained and remain eligible for competition. The multi-year rate includes single-year scores from the past four academic years (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24).
 
Teams with a four-year score below 930 or a 950 average over the most recent two years, can be penalized by a loss of scholarships and post-season ban. For the 17^th consecutive year, no UH team will be penalized with loss of scholarship.
 

 
The NCAA Committee on Academic Performance instituted the APR data requirements beginning in the 2003-04 academic year. The benchmark of 930 projects to an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of approximately 50 percent. The overall goal of measuring APRs is to encourage improved academic performance and help institutional administrators examine admission policies, retention and graduation rates, and improve academic support for student-athletes. Only student-athletes on scholarship are factored into the APR scores.
 
UH fields 21 intercollegiate sports programs, however, the NCAA’s APR only includes 18 as indoor and outdoor track and field are counted as one score and coed and women’s sailing are non-NCAA sports.
 
More information about the APR is available on the NCAA website (www.ncaa.org).
 
 

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