{"id":247454,"date":"2026-04-01T22:59:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T22:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/247454\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T22:59:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T22:59:09","slug":"tritons-to-host-visit-long-beach-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/247454\/","title":{"rendered":"Tritons to Host, Visit Long Beach State"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n
\n Story Links
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n Men’s Volleyball Match Day<\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n Tickets – LionTree Arena<\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n

LA JOLLA, Calif. \u2014 No. 13 UC San Diego men’s volleyball will play its second top-five opponent in as many weeks with a pair of matches against No. 3 Long Beach State this weekend.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Tritons will host the Beach on Friday at LionTree Arena in La Jolla before the two teams battle on Saturday in Long Beach. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
\n\u00a0
\nMATCH DETAILS
\nMatch 21
\nUC San Diego vs Long Beach State
\nFriday, April 3 | 7:00 p.m.
\nLionTree Arena<\/a>\u00a0| La Jolla, Calif.
\nWatch<\/a> | Live Stats<\/a>
\n\u00a0
\nMatch 22
\nUC San Diego at Long Beach State
\nSaturday, April 4 | 7:00 p.m.
\nLBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid | Long Beach, Calif.
\nWatch<\/a> | Live Stats<\/a>
\n\u00a0
\nABOUT THE TRITONS
\nRoster<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Schedule & Results<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Statistics<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\tLocation: La Jolla, Calif.
\n\tConference:\u00a0Big West<\/a>
\n\tOverall: 11-9
\n\tBig West: 2-3
\n\tHome: 7-3
\n\tAway: 4-6
\n\tNeutral: 0-0
\n\tvs Ranked: 3-7
\n\tStreak: L2
\n\tAVCA National Ranking: 13
\n\tBig West Standings: 4th <\/p>\n

ABOUT THE BEACH
\nRoster<\/a> | Schedule & Results<\/a> | Statistics<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\tLocation: Long Beach, Calif.
\n\tConference:\u00a0Big West<\/a>
\n\tOverall: 16-4
\n\tBig West: 2-2
\n\tHome: 10-3
\n\tAway: 5-1
\n\tNeutral: 1-0
\n\tvs Ranked: 7-4
\n\tStreak: W2
\n\tAVCA National Ranking: 3
\n\tBig West Standings: 3rd <\/p>\n

SERIES HISTORY
\nLong Beach State leads the all-time series 79-6, including a 10-1 advantage since UC San Diego joined Division I. The Beach swept all three matches between the two teams last season, winning the two regular season matches and then knocking the Tritons out of The Big West Championship.
\n\u00a0
\nFAMILIAR FACES
\nOutside hitters Aidan Powell<\/a> and Sebastiano Sani<\/a> were teammates at Long Beach State in 2024. Sani was also on last year’s Beach team that won the national championship.
\n\u00a0
\nSHARING THE ROCK
\nThe Tritons are 13th nationally in assists per set with 11.69. Primary setter and redshirt senior John Luers<\/a> is 24th nationally in that category with 9.23.
\n\u00a0
\nSEBA SCORES
\nJunior outside hitter Sebastiano Sani<\/a> is 20th nationally in points per set (4.19), 26th in kills per set (3.51), 42nd in attacks per set (7.46), 43rd in aces per set (.37) and 50th in hitting percentage (.290).
\n\u00a0
\nDANGEROUS BEHIND THE LINE
\nThe Tritons are 11th nationally in aces per set with 1.64. Three players have at least 20 aces this season: Sani (27), Josh Ewert<\/a> (26) and Leo Pravednikov<\/a> (23).
\n\u00a0
\nAMONG THE RANKS
\nThe March 30\u00a0AVCA National Collegiate Poll<\/a>\u00a0sees the Tritons remain at No. 13. UC San Diego will face fellow ranked opponents in 15 of their 25 matches this season. Seven of those contests will be at home, with eight coming on the road.<\/p>\n


\n\tNo. 1 UCLA (L, 0-3)
\n\tNo. 2 Hawai’i
\n\tNo. 3 Long Beach State
\n\tNo. 5 UC Irvine (L, 0-3; L, 2-3)
\n\tNo. 8 UC Santa Barbara (L, 2-3)
\n\tNo. 9 Loyola Chicago (L, 1-3)
\n\tNo. 10 BYU (L, 0-3; L, 1-3)
\n\tNo. 16 Lewis (W, 3-2)
\n\tNo. 18 CSUN (W, 3-0; W, 3-2) <\/p>\n

BIG WEST OUTLOOK
\nThe Tritons were picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the\u00a02026 Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll<\/a>. That mirrors UC San Diego’s finish at the end of the 2025 season.
\n\u00a0
\nLong Beach State was picked to win The Big West after winning the national championship last season.<\/p>\n

All six Big West teams are ranked nationally. Hawai’i has the best national ranking, checking in at No. 2.

\n\u00a0

\nStandings as of March 25

\n1. Hawai’i (4-0 Big West, 21-3 Overall)

\n2. UC Irvine (3-1, 15-3)

\n3. Long Beach State (2-2, 16-4)

\n4. UC San Diego (2-3, 11-9)

\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UC Santa Barbara (2-3, 11-9)

\n6. CSUN (0-4, 12-8)

\n\u00a0

\n2026 WEEKLY HONORS

\nOH Josh Ewert<\/a>, UCU Athlete of the Week<\/a>\u00a0(Jan. 12)

\nMB Peter Selcho<\/a>, Big West Defensive Player of the Week<\/a>\u00a0(Mar. 2)

\n\u00a0

\nBIG SHOES TO FILL

\nIn 2025, UC San Diego saw opposite hitter Anthony Cherfan<\/a>, setter Bryce Dvorak<\/a> and outside hitter Josh Schellinger<\/a> earn both All-Big West and All-American honors in their final season with the Tritons.

\n\u00a0

\nHEAD COACH BRAD ROSTRATTER

\nBrad Rostratter<\/a> enters his fourth season leading UC San Diego in 2026. He was named head coach of the men’s volleyball program on Oct. 7, 2022. Rostratter earned his first career win with the Tritons on Jan. 5, 2023, when the team defeated Lincoln Memorial in five sets at UC Santa Barbara’s Asics Invitational. It was the team’s season opener. Rostratter collected his first Big West victory on the road at CSUN when the Tritons swept the Matadors on March 16, 2023. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Coach of the Year and two-time Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Coach of the Year, Rostratter came to La Jolla from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California, where he served as the men’s volleyball head coach since the program’s inception in 2019. He led the Lions to a pair of GSAC regular season titles, a league tournament title and two appearances at the NAIA National Championship.

\n\u00a0 \n<\/p>\n


\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tOverall
\n\t\t\tWins
\n\t\t\tLosses
\n\t\t\tPct.
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tBig West
\n\t\t\tWins
\n\t\t\tLosses
\n\t\t\tPct.
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2026
\n\t\t\t11
\n\t\t\t9
\n\t\t\t.550
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t2026
\n\t\t\t2
\n\t\t\t3
\n\t\t\t.400
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2025
\n\t\t\t18
\n\t\t\t12
\n\t\t\t.600
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t2025
\n\t\t\t3
\n\t\t\t7
\n\t\t\t.300
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2024
\n\t\t\t12
\n\t\t\t15
\n\t\t\t.444
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t2024
\n\t\t\t4
\n\t\t\t6
\n\t\t\t.400
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2023
\n\t\t\t8
\n\t\t\t17
\n\t\t\t.320
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t2023
\n\t\t\t2
\n\t\t\t8
\n\t\t\t.200
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tTotals
\n\t\t\t49
\n\t\t\t53
\n\t\t\t.480
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tTotals
\n\t\t\t11
\n\t\t\t23
\n\t\t\t.324
\n\t\t
\n\t <\/p>\n

\u00a0
\n2026 BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
\nThe Hawaiian Islands presents the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship will be April 23-25 at the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine. All six Big West squads will participate.
\n\u00a0
\nThe top two seeds after the regular season will earn a bye to the semifinal round of the single-elimination championship. All-session tickets are\u00a0on sale now<\/a>. Single-session tickets will go on sale on March 31.
\n\u00a0
\nUC San Diego Athletics completed a department-wide transition to NCAA Division I in 2024. All Tritons sports are eligible for conference and national postseason play.
\n\u00a0
\nAt the 2025 edition, the fourth-seeded Tritons defeated five seed UC Santa Barbara in five sets in the quarterfinal round. The Tritons then faced top-seeded Long Beach State in the semifinals, falling in three sets.
\n\u00a0
\nAN EXPANDED NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
\nThe 2026 season will see the bracket for the NCAA Championship expand from nine teams to 12. Seven automatic qualification spots remain, including one for The Big West. Five at-large bids will now make up the rest of the field, an increase from two in previous seasons.
\n\u00a0
\nUC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
\nMost UC San Diego home men’s and women’s basketball games, men’s and women’s soccer matches, men’s and women’s volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego volleyball, visit\u00a0UCSDTritons.com\/live<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WHY THE TRITONS?

\nThe Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.<\/p>\n

TRITON VOLLEYBALL TALK

\nAs part of UC San Diego’s transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast,\u00a0Tritoncast<\/a>. New episodes of\u00a0Tritoncast\u00a0are available on the most popular podcasting apps and on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow\u00a0Tritoncast\u00a0on X\u00a0@Tritoncast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO VOLLEYBALL

\nKeep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>. The team’s handle is @ucsdmvb.<\/p>\n

FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD

\nGot some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the\u00a0Junior Triton Club<\/a>. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!<\/p>\n

GEAR

\nFor the latest Triton apparel and accessories,\u00a0click here<\/a>.

\n\u00a0

\nUP NEXT

\nTwo more challenging Big West matches await next week as the Tritons host No. 2 Hawai’i. Both matches will be at LionTree Arena April 10-11.

\n\u00a0

\nAbout UC San Diego Athletics

\nAfter two decades as one of the most successful\u00a0programs in\u00a0NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as\u00a0a\u00a0member\u00a0of The Big West in\u00a0NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in\u00a0Divisions\u00a0II\u00a0and III and helped guide\u00a01,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II.\u00a0For more information on the Tritons, visit\u00a0UCSDtritons.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media\u00a0@UCSDtritons<\/a>.

\n\u00a0<\/p>\n