No. 2 Long Beach State Heads To Ohio For Challenging Three-Match Road Swing

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Fresh off an undefeated opening weekend and a rise to No. 2 in the national rankings, defending national champion Long Beach State men’s volleyball travels to Ohio this week for a demanding three-match road stretch. The Beach begin the trip Wednesday in Wilberforce against Central State, continue Friday with a neutral-site matchup versus No. 20 George Mason in Columbus, and close the weekend Saturday at No. 13 Ohio State, as Long Beach State measures itself early against nationally ranked competition and reinforces its standing among the nation’s elite.

RIGHT AWAY

• No. 2 Long Beach State heads to the Buckeye State for a trio of road matches this week, including contests against two nationally ranked opponents. The Beach open the trip Wednesday in Wilberforce, Ohio, facing Central State at 2 p.m. PT. Long Beach State then travels to Columbus for a neutral-site matchup against No. 20 George Mason at the Covelli Center on Friday at 10 a.m. PT, before closing the weekend against host No. 13 Ohio State on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT.

• The Beach opened the 2026 season undefeated with two straight-set victories over Lindenwood and No. 15 McKendree at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, reinforcing their position as a perennial national contender.

IN THE RANKINGS

• The Beach ranks top 50 nationally in every major statistical area, including team categories of aces, assists, blocks, digs, hitting percentage, kills and opponent hitting percentage, along with individual rankings in aces, assists, blocks, digs, hitting percentage, kills and points. In total, LBSU owns nine top-10 rankings overall, with five at the team level in aces, assists, blocks, digs and kills, and four individual top-10 marks, highlighted by No. 1 national rankings in aces (Skyler Varga) and digs (Kellen Larson).

• Defending national champion Long Beach State remains among the nation’s elite, advancing from No. 3 to No. 2 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll released January 12, continuing a legacy of excellence that has defined the program.

• Veteran leadership anchors the Beach lineup, led by senior Skyler Varga, who ranks No. 1 nationally in service aces per set (1.33) and No. 5 nationally in points per set (5.08), establishing himself as one of the most impactful all-around players in the country.

• Defensively, Kellen Larson sets the tone in the backcourt, ranking No. 1 nationally in digs per set (3.33) and providing consistency and stability in the libero role.

• On the pins, Alex Kandev ranks 33rd nationally in kills per set (3.20), delivering steady offensive production within a balanced attack.

• As a team, Long Beach State ranks No. 3 nationally in blocks per set (3.33), No. 4 in digs per set (11.33), No. 7 in aces per set (2.33), No. 7 in assists per set (12.33), and No. 9 in kills per set (13.17), reflecting strength and balance across every phase of the game.

WEEKLY AWARDS

• The depth and readiness of the Beach roster were on display opening weekend as Jackson Cryst and Jake Pazanti earned Big West Player of the Week honors in their collegiate debuts, underscoring the program’s ability to reload without disruption.

• Cryst was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring the Beach at the net across a dominant opening weekend. He averaged 1.50 blocks per set, ranking 10th nationally, and totaled nine blocks over two matches, helping limit opponents to a .157 hitting percentage, which ranks 12th nationally. In addition to his defensive presence, Cryst contributed offensively with seven kills on .462 hitting during his first collegiate action.

• Pazanti earned Long Beach State Freshman of the Week honors after totaling 58 assists (9.67 per set), ranking 12th nationally, while guiding the Beach to a .351 team hitting percentage, which ranks 11th nationally. He also recorded the only double-double by the Beach this season, posting 34 assists and 13 digs against McKendree on January 10. Pazanti complemented his setting performance with six kills on .750 hitting, 16 digs, five blocks, and two service aces during the opening weekend.

ABOUT THE BEACH

• Long Beach State open the 2026 campaign looking to build on a national championship 2025 season which saw the Beach post a 30-3 overall record. The Beach went 8-2 in Big West action winning their fourth-straight regular season title and fourth national championship title.

• Long time Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe retired after his championship 22nd season. The winningest coach in LBSU Men’s Volleyball program history, Knipe owns a career record of 449-171 for a winning percentage of .724.

• Replacing Knipe at the helm is long time former Associate Head Coach Nick MacRae. MacRae is joined by Assistant Coaches McKay Smith, Amir-Lugo Rodriguez, Matt Prosser and Technical Coordinator Jon Parry. MacRae, a seasoned coach under Knipe, has worked at Long Beach State for the last 13 seasons helping Long Beach State capture three NCAA National Titles, two Big West Championships, and has helped lead the Beach to eight NCAA Final Four appearances.

• The Beach return 12 Student-Athletes from one year ago and welcome five newcomers.

• Senior Skyler Varga and Sophomore Alex Kandev, both returners, were named to the 2026 Big West Preseason Team. Varga returns as one of the nation’s premier attackers. Both earned NCAA All-Tournament Team honors for their performance in the NCAA Championship match. Varga finished the year with 270 kills (2.73 per set) on a .368 attack percentage, while adding 33 service aces, 70 total blocks, and 341 points across 99 sets. In addition to his on-court excellence, Varga also received CSC Academic All-America recognition. Kandev concluded his freshman season with 210 kills (3.23 per set) while hitting .458, and added 21 aces, 36 blocks, and 250 points in 65 sets.

BIG WEST PRESEASON FAVORITE

The Big West released its 2026 Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll and Team, and defending Big West regular season and National Champion Long Beach State was selected as the preseason favorite. The Beach garnered 24 total points and four first-place votes from league head coaches, signaling strong expectations for another elite season.

Long Beach State’s status as a national powerhouse was further reinforced in the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll (Dec. 23), where the Beach were ranked No. 3 nationally behind UCLA and Hawai’i.

The Beach also placed multiple student-athletes on the 2026 Big West Preseason Coaches’ Team, as Skyler Varga and Alex Kandev earned preseason recognition following standout performances during Long Beach State’s championship 2025 season.

Following Long Beach State atop the Big West preseason poll, Hawai’i was chosen second with 22 points and two first-place votes, and UC Irvine was tabbed third with 17 points. CSUN, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara rounded out the poll, each earning nine points.