Dante Estrada | Long Beach Current

Big West women’s volleyball powerhouses UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo put themselves on the map early this season, receiving votes in multiple AVCA top 25 polls. 

However, after Long Beach State climbed past both formidable units en route to rising near the top of the conference standings, The Beach has yet to receive a single vote of their own in the national rankings. 

While it remains difficult for a Big West team to slide its way into a leaderboard that is filled with teams from stacked conferences like the Big Ten and Big 12, LBSU head coach Natalie Reagan and her squad have demonstrated an ability to compete with some of the best teams in the country. 

LBSU lost a nail-biting five-set match to UCLA, which has floated in and out of the top 25 rankings this season, and played No. 6 Stanford to a tightly contested four sets in the season opener. 

LBSU’s excellent start to its season should warrant consideration for the next national rankings, but this Beach team that was picked to finish fifth in the conference in the preseason will get the chance to continue to stack wins and defy expectations as it continues through its Big West schedule. 

“We foresaw this success coming, and it’s great to see it come to fruition,” Reagan said. 

Pamela Badillo claims tennis singles championship

LBSU women’s tennis began its season with a bang at the Big West Fall Tournament on Oct. 5, as Pamela Badillo went 6-0 to take home the singles championship out of a 64-player main draw. 

The sophomore from Puebla, Mexico, reached the quarterfinals of the same tournament in her freshman season, but prevailed as the ultimate winner to kick off the 2025 season, defeating University of Hawai’i sophomore Makeilah Nepomuceno in the final round. 

Ameera White breaks out for women’s soccer

Taking home her first career Big West Freshman of the Week award on Oct. 6, freshman midfielder Ameera White has emerged as a major contributor for The Beach in her first season. 

Ranked third in assists in the Big West with five, White has helped fuel an offense that places third in the conference with 1.5 goals per game. 

Despite LBSU’s six-game unbeaten streak being snapped against Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 9, White and The Beach look to remain serious contenders in the Big West this season.