Sports

Women’s Volleyball Faces San Diego, LMU in Pivotal Road Matches

Published

2 months ago

November 19, 2025

MALIBU, Calif. — Making its most consequential road swing of West Coast Conference play, the Pepperdine women’s volleyball team (18-7, 11-2 West Coast Conference) will travel to San Diego (21-4, 14-0 West Coast Conference) and in-city rival LMU (5-19, 3-12 West Coast Conference) this week.

The road swing starts with a 7 p.m. match against San Diego on Thursday, then the Waves will take on LMU Saturday at 1 p.m. All West Coast Conference matches will be livestreamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription. Live stream and live stat links can be found on the women’s volleyball team’s schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com.

Pepperdine will put its 10-match win streak on the line during Thursday’s match, which will be a battle between the West Coast Conference’s top two teams. San Diego is unbeaten in league play and two games ahead of the Waves in the conference standings. A win would immensely boost Pepperdine’s RPI; the Waves are a season-high No. 45 in the latest NCAA Division I rankings, while the Toreros are No. 32.

LAST TIME OUT

In the lone match of last week, Pepperdine throttled Santa Clara in a three-set sweep that featured two set wins by 10 points or more.

Chloe Pravednikov led the offense with 13 kills, which was her 17th time finishing in double-figures.

The Waves’ block held Santa Clara to hitting -.077, which is a season-low mark for any Pepperdine opponent. The team had 12 total blocks to Santa Clara’s three.

Ella Piskorz was named the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week after leading Pepperdine with nine total blocks — including six solo blocks. Her nine blocks are tied for the fourth-most in a three-set match in Pepperdine history.

AWESOME ARIZONANS

Stepping into a bigger role as a sophomore, Chandler, Ariz. native Maggie Beauer is second on the team with 246 total kills, averaging 2.86 per set. She has recorded double-figure kills in 13 matches.

Peoria, Ariz. native Tristen Raymond has given the Waves a spark as a do-it-all setter. Raymond ranks in Pepperdine’s top five in nearly every statistical category: The lefty leads Pepperdine with 6.73 assists per set, is second in service aces per set (0.41), fourth in blocks per set (0.73) and second in digs per set (2.44).

Raymond is a two-time West Coast Conference Setter of the Week and one of two Waves to win multiple weekly West Coast Conference awards this season.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP

Sophomore outside hitter Chloe Pravednikov leads the team with 253 kills, which is No. 12 in the WCC. Her 2.92 kills per set lead the team.

A West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team selection last year, Pravednikov is picking up where she left off late last season, when she emerged as Pepperdine’s consistent third option on offense. Earlier this season, Pravednikov set her career high with 20 kills against Oregon State — one of a team-high 17 matches with 10 kills or more.

O CANADA

Sophomore middle blocker Ella Piskorz is one of the best young middle blockers in the nation. She ranks No. 25 in the NCAA with 131 total blocks and No. 20 with 1.44 blocks per set.

She leads the league with 131 total blocks, 1.44 blocks per set and 106 block assists.

Piskorz earned her conference-leading third West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week award after leading the Waves with nine total blocks — including six solo blocks — in a three-set win over Santa Clara last Thursday.

STAY IN YOUR LAINE

Laine Briggs is one of the best servers in the country: Her 45 aces rank No. 23 in all of Division I, while her 0.49 aces per set rank No. 21 in Division I.

Earlier this season, she set her career-high with five aces against Portland, which is one of her 17 matches with multiple aces this year.

Briggs also leads the team and ranks No. 5 in the West Coast Conference with 3.56 digs per set.

GOING BACK TO CALI

San Diego native Irelynd Lorenzen has been a key piece for Pepperdine’s block during her first year of playing collegiate volleyball in her home state. The Lafayette transfer is second on the team with 1.10 blocks per set, which ranks T-No. 6 in the West Coast Conference.

Lorenzen also ranks in the top 10 in the West Coast Conference with 81 block assists (No. 5) and 95 total blocks (No. 6).

BLOCK PARTY

Pepperdine has one of the best blocking defenses in the nation, ranking No. 15 with 2.76 blocks per set and No. 51 with 251 total blocks. They hold opponents to hitting .154, which is No. 9 in the NCAA.

The Waves lead the league with 239 total blocks are second with 378 block assists.

Individually, Pepperdine has three players ranked in the top 15 of the West Coast Conference in block assists: No. 1 Ella Piskorz (106 block assists), No. 5 Irelynd Lorenzen (81) and No. 8 Vanessa Polk (70).

Sophomore Ella Piskorz leads the charge with 122 total blocks, which ranks No. 23 in the nation, while Irelynd Lorenzen‘s 93 blocks rank No. 178 in Division I.

STRONG SERVING

Pepperdine is No. 11 in the nation with 2.04 aces per set and No. 40 with 186 aces. Both figures lead the West Coast Conference.

Four Waves rank in the top 20 in the league in service aces per set: Laine Briggs (No. 2, 0.49 per set), Tristen Raymond (No. 4, 0.41), Charis Kai (T-No. 9, 0.33), and Ryan Gilhooly (T-No. 12, 0.32).

The team has had at least one player with multiple aces in every match this season.

Multiple Waves have recorded multiple aces in 21 of the 25 matches this year.

COMEBACK KIDS

On Oct. 2, Pepperdine trailed San Francisco 18-7 in the first set but came back to win 25-23, which was their biggest single-set comeback of the season.

At that point, the comeback was one of four comebacks of 11 points or more. Northeastern came back from a 13-point deficit, while DePaul and Wisconsin rallied back from 11-point deficits.

Two out of Pepperdine’s four five-set wins have been reverse-sweeps.

SOLID SCHEDULING

At the end of non-conference play, Pepperdine’s non-conference schedule ranked No. 35 in the nation in terms of opponents’ combined win percentage.

The Waves’ strength of schedule currently ranks tied for No. 30 in the nation, as their opponents have a combined win percentage of .635.

Using that same metric, the Waves are second in the West Coast Conference (LMU is No. 15) and eighth among all mid-major schools.

Pepperdine is the only West Coast Conference team to face two top-10 programs in non-conference play (No. 9 Pitt and No. 8 Arizona State).

RPI WATCH

Pepperdine is currently No. 45 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings, which is a season-high.

As one of the last teams left out of the NCAA Tournament last year, the Waves had a season-high RPI of No. 46 and were No. 53 in the final RPI rankings.

With two weeks left in the regular season, Pepperdine’s resume features four wins over top-100 RPI teams: No. 38 UCLA, No. 56 UC Santa Barbara, No. 54 UC Davis and No. 100 Oregon State.

Conversely, six of the Waves’ seven losses have been against teams in the top-100 RPI: No. 3 Arizona State, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 15 UTEP, No. 32 San Diego, No. 72 GCU and No. 94 Jacksonville.

SERIES HISTORY

Pepperdine is 46-39 against San Diego, yet the Toreros have won the last three matches.

The Waves are 65-28 against LMU and are looking to go for their first series sweep since 2023.

SCOUTING THE TOREROS

The San Diego Toreros have a perfect 14-0 record in West Coast Conference play and are at a season-best No. 33 in the RPI rankings.

San Diego boasts several of the West Coast Conference’s best players and one of the best blocks, making it one of the few complete teams Pepperdine will face in league play.

Sophomore Nemo Beach ranks No. 56 in Division I with 4.03 kills per set, setter Kylie Munday ranks No. 39 in the nation with 10.05 assists per set, while Kali Engeman ranks No. 95 with 111 blocks per set.

SCOUTING THE LIONS

LMU is looking to snap out of a nine-match losing streak — the longest active losing streak in the league.

Maddie Boerstra is tied for No. 4 in the West Coast Conference with 3.39 kills per set, while fellow hitter Sophie Stephenson is No 11, averaging 2.97 kills per set.

LMU also has two players in the top 10 of the West Coast Conference in digs per set: Cecily Bramschreiber (No. 6, 3.52) and Delfina Schuh (No. 10, 3.09).

SEASON OVERVIEW

In Scott Wong‘s eleventh season at the helm, the Pepperdine Waves were picked second in the West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches’ poll behind San Diego and ahead of LMU. The top three teams in the poll were the last three teams to win the West Coast Conference title.

Pepperdine also put three players on the West Coast Conference Preseason Team: redshirt junior Vanessa Polk, sophomore Ella Piskorz and Bradley transfer Iva Popovic, who was one of three conference newcomers to make the team.

Pepperdine has ten returners but brings back just one starter from last year: middle blocker Ella Piskorz. However, fellow middle blocker Vanessa Polk, who was a key piece on Pepperdine’s 2023 West Coast Conference Championship squad, will return after redshirting in 2024. Sophomore opposite hitter Chloe Pravednikov, an All-West Coast Conference Freshman Team selection from a year ago, worked her way into the starting rotation late last season and will be expected to have a larger role this season.

NEW WAVES

The Waves also welcome six newcomers to the team, consisting of three transfers and three true freshmen. Junior middle blocker Irelynd Lorenzen and sophomore setter Nalani Muniz are both returning to their home state after competing for Lafayette and Southern Utah, respectively. Iva Popovic also comes to Malibu by way of Bradley University and New Mexico Junior College, where she was a two-time NJCAA All-American.

Pepperdine’s three freshmen are Ryan Gilhooly (Pacific Palisades, Calif.), Tristen Raymond (Peoria, Ariz.) and Alice Vigano (Lake Como, Italy).

For the first time under Scott Wong, the Waves feature three international players on the roster: Ella Piskorz (Canada), Iva Popovic (Serbia) and Alice Vigano (Italy).

THE MOUNTAIN AT MULLIN PARK

The Mountain at Mullin Park will become the new home for Pepperdine’s basketball and volleyball programs in 2026. The 3,600-seat arena will give Pepperdine a state-of-the-art competition venue, complete with a 360-degree high-definition scoreboard, VIP and hospitality spaces, and custom team locker rooms. The facility will improve the experience for student-athletes and provide fans with one of the premier indoor collegiate environments on the West Coast. Connected to the arena is a three-story, 45,000-square-foot student center that will house the University’s RISE Institute along with a broad range of wellness and recreation amenities.

Construction reached a major milestone with the topping-out ceremony in May 2025, marking the completion of the arena’s highest structural point. Following interior build-out and finishing, Pepperdine men’s and women’s basketball teams are expected to be the first teams to compete in the new arena beginning the 2026-27 season.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Pepperdine women’s volleyball has reached 26 NCAA Tournaments since 1981 as one of the most successful collegiate programs on the West Coast. The 12-time West Coast Conference Champions Waves have consistently produced top talent with 21 All-American selections with honorees in six straight decades. With multiple Olympians going through the program, Kim Hill brought home the program’s first gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Link

Sports

Former BYU standout returns to Provo to finish what he started – Deseret News

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Trent Moser walked off the court at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix on March 22 feeling pretty good. With help from his seven kills, the 6-foot-8 BYU transfer and his new team at Grand Canyon had just blanked the No. 6 Cougars, 3-0.

One month later, Moser and the Lopes were left with nothing but a blank stare after GCU abruptly cut its men’s volleyball program. Despite reaching the Final Four the previous season, everybody was out.

As a result, Moser is back at BYU and he brought three of his GCU teammates with him.

“Credit to him and his family,” BYU men’s volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week. “It will be fun for him to finish this out and that’s a cool part to his story that I think the fans are excited about too.”

Moser, a 2023 member of the MPSF’s All-Freshman Team at BYU and a 2025 honorable mention All-American at GCU, will introduce his three colleagues to Smith Fieldhouse volleyball on Friday when the Cougars open the season against Saint Francis (7 p.m., BYUtv app).

“They have no idea what’s coming,” Olmstead said of the raucous environment that awaits 6-6 Kyle Zediker, 6-5 Connor Oldani and 6-6 Max Phillipe. “Trent tells them and it’s fun to see that interaction, but it will be a first.”

Another AJ?

AJ Cottle, left, will make his freshman debut Friday at Smith Fieldhouse. | Rebeca Fuentes/BYU

The Marriott Center is home to freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa. At 6-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, the projected top pick in June’s NBA draft has men’s basketball flying high. Down the road at the Smith Fieldhouse, AJ Cottle, also 6-8 with a wide reach, is ready to make his freshman debut.

“We joke every day, he’s the ‘real AJ,” laughed Olmstead. “That’s our joke — with our humor.”

Just as Dybantsa plays above the rim, Cottle can occupy the air space up to 12 feet, which is 4 feet above the net.

“Mark my words, he’s going to be a standout,” Olmstead said. “He’s going to be one of the guys people are going to pay to come watch play in our gym.”

Olmstead first spotted Cottle after his Timpview graduation. Needing time to mature and grow into his body, and with some prodding by Olmstead, Cottle attended Utah Valley University before serving a two-year church mission to Rosario, Argentina.

“Mark my words, he’s going to be a standout. He’s going to be one of the guys people are going to pay to come watch play in our gym.”

— BYU coach Shawn Olmstead of Cougar freshman AJ Cottle

In a head-to-head dunk contest between both AJ’s, Olmstead believes his guy would make it interesting.

“Our AJ is probably a little raw. Nothing against AJ (Dybantsa), I’m not questioning his personality, but this kid (our AJ) is unbelievable,” Olmstead said. “This kid would take it on and say, ‘Heck yeah! Let’s go!’ He’d try something dumb probably, but he’s so long and athletic he’d probably make it. It would be fun.”

Opening night

As a player, Olmstead won a pair of national championships at BYU in 2001 and 2004. His coaching run on campus started in 2008 with the women’s program. He moved over to coach the men in 2016. All those seasons have seasoned Olmstead with a grateful heart for the fans that will pack the fieldhouse again on Friday.

“I leave those games or I’m sitting there before they start, and I’m seeing people I’ve seen for the last 20 years, back to when I was a player — the same husband and wife and maybe their kids are now a little older and they are bringing their kids. That means so much to me, more than people know,” he said. “I walk in there and there is a sense of gratitude that people on a Friday and Saturday night will put everything aside to come support and watch and partake and be around our team.”

BYU men's volleyball fans pack in the Smith Fieldhouse to watch the Cougars play Grand Canyon University on Feb. 17, 2024, in Provo. — BYU men’s volleyball fans pack in the Smith Fieldhouse to watch the Cougars play Grand Canyon on Feb. 17, 2024, in Provo. | Abby Shelton/BYU

Olmstead’s Cougars are ranked No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll and projected to finish fifth in the highly competitive Mountain Pacific States Federation. BYU will host the MPSF Tournament at the end of the regular season.

“What a time to be at BYU. It’s wild. It’s a crazy, exciting time to be part of BYU with what’s going on in every sport,” Olmstead said. “The movement, the excitement, the wins. It’s just crazy.”

Heather Olmstead

When Olmstead shifted to men’s volleyball after the 2015 season, it opened the door for his assistant coach and sister, Heather, to lead the women’s program for the next 11 years. After 279 victories and a trip to the Final Four, Heather Olmstead and BYU agreed to part ways on Dec. 11.

“I love her. She has done a phenomenal job. It was an unbelievable opportunity for us to be together and be around each other,” he said. “Heather is unbelievably driven, unbelievably successful. She is going to go do whatever she wants right now and I’m excited for her. I’ll be her biggest fan forever.”

BYU hired Rob Neilson on Dec. 23 to succeed Olmstead as women’s head coach. Neilson is a former assistant for the Cougars and was one of Shawn Olmstead’s teammates on the 2004 national title squad.

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com

Link

Sports

Lexi Shondell wins J&C Big Schools Volleyball Player of the Year

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Jan. 8, 2026, 4:00 a.m. ET

LAFAYETTE ― McCutcheon volleyball senior setter Lexi Shondell embraced the challenge of expanding her role in 2025.

More kills, more blocks and greater ways of impacting the game. While the bid to win the IHSAA sectional title fell short, Shondell succeeded in each of these roles.

For her efforts, Shondell has been named the Journal & Courier Big Schools Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Link

Sports

SEM Senior Taryn Arbuthnot commits to UNK for Volleyball

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

SUMNER, Neb — SEM Senior Taryn Arbuthnot committed to UNK for Volleyball on Wednesday at Sumner High School.

Arbuthnot who returned from tearing an ACL injury during her junior season to lead the Mustangs to a third place finish at the NSAA state volleyball tournament this past season.

She led the Mustangs with over 560 kills and 120 blocks.

The senior who shines on the hardwood and the track is averaging 24 points per game this season.

Link

Sports

Capital University to upgrade its fieldhouse for fall

Published

7 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Capital athletes and students can expect a revamped track and field facility just in time for the fall semester.

The track will be resurfaced with state-of-the-art materials, BSS 2000 RE surface, which are used at The Ohio State University and the University of Oregon’s tracks.

What You Need To Know

The project could result in championship events being hosted at the university

The resurfaced track will all for better safety and performance

Construction should be completed before the 2026-2027 athletic season

“This project extends beyond indoor track — sports like tennis, pickleball, basketball and volleyball will benefit from this state-of-the-art training surface,” said Darrell Bailey, director of Athletics. “In addition to supporting our student-athletes year-round, the facility will serve as a versatile venue for major campus-wide events, including commencement, the Undergraduate Research Symposium, and other programs that bring our entire community together.”

Besides aesthetic benefits, the resurfaced track will allow for better safety, performance and competitive opportunity. Shock absorbtion and greater durability would be just some of the most important upgrades.

“This new surface elevates the standard of our training environment and enhances our capacity to compete and train at a high level. It’s a significant step forward for our program, and it reflects the commitment our institution and alumni have made to supporting Capital track and field,” said Ian Kellogg, director of Cross Country/Track and Field.

The upgrades will also position the university to host championship events in the future, which would not have been a possibility before.

“From updated courts and a better practice facility for all sports that utilize it, to a significant facelift for the Cap Center overall, this investment positions Capital to provide one of the finest training environments in Division III,” said April Novotny, vice president for Advancement and chief development officer. “[Donors] support not only strengthens the student-athlete experience but also ensures our athletes train on an elite surface and positions Capital to welcome more competitive opportunities in the years ahead.”

Construction should be completed before the 2026-2027 athletic season.

Link

Sports

Calallen’s Aubrey Navarro signs to run D1 track at SFA

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It was college signing day for one Calallen senior. Aubrey Navarro inked her commitment to run sprints for Stephen F. Austin University track and field.

She holds Calallen high school records in the 100, 200 and long jump according to MaxPreps. Navarro made it to Regionals her freshman season. Her journey was not easy, battling injuries the last two seasons. So to make it this far is a huge accomplishment.

“It means a lot because it’s just like so many things have happened lately, and to making it to go D1 and competing at a collegiate level is just a dream that I’ve always wanted since I was little,” Navarro.

Her 100 meter dash personal best time is 11.72 seconds, which she ran at the 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 26, 2025.

Calallen's Aubrey Navarro signs with SFA

Navarro began running track when she was 5-years-old at Pure Speed Performance with Coach Rueben Flowers. She’s excited to represent Corpus Christi at the Division 1 level.

“It means a lot because not a lot of people in the Coastal Bend go for track, or do track or really are into track like I am,” Navarro. “It just means a lot to know that I can be a role model for others that really want to do it.”

Link

Sports

No. 11 CSUN Opens 2026 Season With Three Matches at UCSB Asics Invitational

Published

10 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Your Sports Nation

CSUN THIS WEEK:

UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

MATCH #1

CSUN Matadors (0-0) vs. Maryville Saints (0-0)

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 – 7:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif.

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #2

CSUN Matadors vs. Harvard Crimson

Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 – 2:00 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

MATCH #3

CSUN Matadors vs. Kentucky State Thorobreds

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 – 4:30 p.m. PT

Rob Gym – Santa Barbara, Calif

ESPN+

Live Stats

In-game X updates: @CSUNMensVB

CSUN Men’s Volleyball Media Notes

FOR STARTERS

The preseason 11th-ranked CSUN Men’s Volleyball team (0-0, 0-0 Big West) opens the 2026 season, its 50th season of men’s volleyball, against Maryville on Thursday at the UCSB Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara. The match is the first of three for the Matadors at the annual tournament held at Rob Gym on the UCSB campus. CSUN opens the tournament Thursday against Maryville at 7 p.m., before taking on Harvard on Friday at 2 p.m. The Matadors conclude the three-day event on Saturday, taking on Kentucky State at 4:30 p.m. Fellow Big West teams UC Irvine and host UC Santa Barbara round out the six-team field this weekend.

FOLLOW YOUR MATADORS ONLINE

All nine matches of UCSB’s Asics Invitational will stream live on ESPN+ and will have live stats available (links at GoMatadors.com). CSUN home matches this season will also stream live on the ESPN+ platform, with Darren Preston handling a majority of the play-by-play this season.

Fans can also follow CSUN Matador men’s volleyball online at the official home of CSUN athletics, www. GoMatadors.com for related links to the match, including any live stats, audio, and video. Fans are also encouraged to check the CSUN Athletics Department’s official X feed (@ GoMatadors) and the volleyball-specific feed (@CSUNMensVB) for news and notes throughout the week, as well as updates of matches in progress.

CSUN RANKED 11TH IN 2026 AVCA PRESEASON MEN’S VOLLEYBALL POLL

After finishing the 2025 season ranked ninth in the final AVCA National Collegiate Poll, CSUN opens the 2026 season ranked 11th in the national preseason poll (Dec. 23). The Matadors, who finished 18-11 in 2025, finished in the top 10 in the final poll for the first time since 2018 and the second time in the last seven seasons. After being ranked in all 18 polls last season, CSUN received 238 points in the preseason poll to rank ninth.

Since reclaiming a spot in the AVCA national poll in 2023, the Matadors have been ranked in the top 20 in 36 consecutive polls and 46 of the last 49 AVCA national polls since the 2023 season. CSUN has been a fixture in the national polls historically, having previously been ranked in the AVCA Top-15 for 62 consecutive weeks and 262 of the last 289 weekly polls dating back to the 2002 season.

UCLA opens the 2026 season ranked first in the preseason poll, collecting 12 of 24 first-place votes and 481 total points. Hawai’i is second after receiving seven first-place votes and 473 points, followed by defending national champions Long Beach State, which received five first-place votes and 460 points. The remainder of the preseason top five includes Pepperdine and USC with UC Irvine, Loyola Chicago, BYU, Stanford, and UC San Diego rounding out the preseason top 10. The second half of the preseason top-20 poll includes the Matadors, Lewis, Penn State, Ohio State, McKendree, Ball State, UC Santa Barbara, Princeton, George Mason, and Lincoln Memorial.

SCOUTING THE ASICS INVITATIONAL FIELD

Maryville (0-0) opens its fifth season of men’s volleyball on Thursday in Santa Barbara. The Saints were picked to finish second in their inaugural season as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Maryville earned four first-place votes and 43 total points to finish second to Rockhurst in the polling. Junior OH Makai Scott returns after leading the Saints with 307 kills (3.37 kps) and 211 digs last season. After finishing 19-9 in 2025, the Saints return 13 players while adding six newcomers in 2026. All-time series: Thursday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Saints in men’s volleyball.

Harvard (0-0) opens the 2026 season on Thursday against UC Irvine. The Crimson, who finished 9-15 in 2025, were picked to tie for fifth in the EIVA Coaches’ Preseason Poll. Seniors Zach Berty and Brian Thomas were named as Players to Watch by the conference’s seven head coaches. Berty averaged 2.22 kills per set in 2025, while Thomas averaged 0.94 blocks per set to lead the team. All-time series: Friday’s match is the seventh meeting all-time between CSUN and Harvard, with the Matadors holding a 5-1 edge in the series. The two teams also met at the UCSB Invitational in 2019, with CSUN pulling out a five-set win.

Kentucky State (0-0) also opens its 2026 season in Santa Barbara. The Thorobreds, who were picked to finish sixth in the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Preseason Poll, will open against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, before taking on UC Irvine and the Matadors to conclude the weekend. All-time series: Saturday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between the Matadors and Thorobreds in men’s volleyball.

CSUN AT THE UCSB ASICS INVITATIONAL

Thursday’s match against Maryville marks CSUN’s 25th appearance in UC Santa Barbara’s annual tournament in the last 29 years. The Matadors are 56-37 (.602) all-time in the tournament dating back to 2001. Last season, the Matadors finished 3-0 in the tournament with wins over Tusculum (3-0), Missouri S&T (3-0), and Menlo (3-1).

Since 2019, the Matadors are 8-7 in UCSB’s annual event, finishing 1-2 three times (2019, 2023, 2024) and 2-1 in 2019. After the 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID pandemic, CSUN was scheduled to open the 2022 season in Santa Barbara but due to COVID protocols within the program, the Matadors were forced to withdraw, snapping a streak of 16 consecutive appearances. In 2019, CSUN dropped a five-set decision to Grand Canyon, which snapped a streak of 11 straight Matador wins in the tournament dating back to a loss to Princeton in 2015. CSUN won its first-ever UCSB Invitational championship in 2009 after upsetting No. 2 UCLA (3-1) and defeating No. 14 UCSB (3-1) and No. 8 Stanford (3-1). The Matadors then won their second straight crown in 2010, topping UCSB (3-1), California Baptist (3-1), and BYU (3-1).

THREE MATADORS NAMED AVCA ALL-AMERICAN, ALL-BIG WEST IN 2025

For the first time since 2018, CSUN had three student-athletes named to the All-Big West First Team in 2025. The Matadors had three first-team selections as senior Donovan Constable, redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips, and freshman Stilian Delibosov were all named to the top team. The last time CSUN had three players named first team was 2018, when Eric Chance, Arvis Greene, Jr., and Dimitar Kalchev earned top honors. All three players went on to earn AVCA All-America honors as Phillips was named to the First Team and Constable and Delibosov earned honorable mention accolades.

NEW FACES IN 2026

In addition to returning 10 letterwinners and five starters from the 2025 season, CSUN welcomes an impressive list of newcomers in 2026. The group includes a trio of 2025 redshirts, including sophomore Owen Douphner, who steps in for departed All-American Donovan Constable at setter. Transfer Jordan Lucas (Grand Canyon) and redshirt freshman Grayson Albers (Sacramento) each open their first season on the active roster in 2026. CSUN also welcomes a trio of true freshmen in 2026 that includes Kingston Jerome, Joel Eanes, and Noah Douphner. Jerome comes to CSUN from Shadow Ridge High School in Las Vegas, Nev., while Eanes is a 6-9 opposite from Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Va. Douphner is a local product from nearby Stevenson Ranch and the younger brother of the CSUN setter.

MATADORS IN THE BIG WEST

The 2026 season marks CSUN’s ninth as a member of the Big West in men’s volleyball. With a 3-7 regular season record in 2025, the Matadors are 18-52 (.257) in 70 Big West matches over eight seasons since the conference’s inaugural campaign in 2018. CSUN finished 5-5 in the first Big West season in 2018 before finishing 3-7 in 2019, 2024, and 2025, 2-8 in 2021 and 1-9 in both 2022 and 2023. Prior to 2018, the Matadors played 25 seasons as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) from 1993-2017 and 16 seasons in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (WIVA) from 1977-92.

EDWARDS IN FOURTH SEASON AS CSUN HEAD COACH

Theo Edwards is in his fourth season as CSUN’s head coach in 2026 after leading the Matadors back into the AVCA national rankings in his first three seasons. Now in his 16th season at CSUN, Edwards was named the successor to Jeff Campbell on Dec. 9, 2022. CSUN finished 12-16 in Edwards’ first season (1-9 in the Big West) in 2023 and the Matadors have steadily improved in each of Edwards’ three seasons. CSUN finished 13-16 in 2024 and 18-11 in 2025. Under Edwards’ leadership, CSUN earned a No. 7 national ranking on Mar. 10 of the 2025 season, its highest national ranking in seven seasons. The Matadors finished the 2025 season with a No. 9 national ranking, also its best since 2018.

LOOKING AHEAD

Following three matches at the UCSB Asics Invitational, the Matadors will remain on the road for two more matches next week. CSUN will travel to the Midwest for the 2026 Under Armour Invitational at Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. The Matadors will take on the host Lions on Jan. 16 before meeting Purdue Fort Wayne on Jan. 17 at 2:00 p.m. PT.

#GoMatadors

Link