Moni Nikolov's unique combination of athleticism and power has propelled him to the top of the volleyball world at just 18 years old.
Being called "The Bulgarian Prince" and "The Phenomenon" is high praise to live up to at 18 years old, but Long Beach State men's volleyball freshman setter Moni Nikolov has proven why he is the future of volleyball with his brief time at the university, according to the Long Beach website.
The 18-year-old Bulgarian, standing at 6-foot-8, has taken the volleyball world by storm with his creativity and decision-making over the net, as well as his phenomenal athleticism. His game consists of cool-headedness and expert decision-making mixed with furious attacks and serves, evensetting an NCAA record for the fastest recorded serve at 80 miles per hour.
His combination of intelligence and athleticism earned him a spot on the Bulgarian national team at just 17 years old.
LBSU Head Coach Alan Knipe compared Nikolov to pioneers in other sports like Magic Johnson, Kevin Durant, and Michael Vick, who revolutionized their respective sports with unprecedented athleticism at their positions and sizes.
One example of the 18-year-old's exceptional volleyball intelligence is his ability to feint from his primary duty as a setter, allowing the ball to pass over the net, deceiving the opposing team about what action he will take – a pass or a spike.
“Most of the time, my most successful plays happen in the moment,” Nikolov said. “I just think I have something that is better than some other players.”
Knipe realizes that to get the most out of Nikolov's exceptional skills, he must “let him be what he is and not lock him into a system where we force him to play, which doesn't allow him to shine.”
Nikolov's playing style already has young volleyball players trying to emulate the things he does on the court, and the mention of him inspiring the next generation of volleyball players brings a smile to his face.
“It feels great, it's very refreshing to see people trying new things,” Nikolov said. “It's just how I play, and I guess it's pleasing to the eye, so I feel good about it, but it's not my number one priority.”
All the attention Nikolov has gained from the younger generation hasled to 100,000 Instagram followers and countless videos on social media platforms like TikTok that have thousands of views and likes.
Even he has scrolled and seen videos of himself. He says it's nice to see people enjoying the way he plays, but he's not doing anything special, just playing the way he plays.
However, he states that he doesn't feel this pressure because volleyball is a craft he has been working on his whole life. Nikolov made a comparison to studying for a test. “The more you study, the better you will do on it, and you won't be nervous,” Nikolov said.
Nikolov is from Sofia, Bulgaria, where he and two other LBSU men's volleyball players attended Vasil Levski Sports School, a high school that treats their sports like college, as it shapes your schedule around your sport, ultimately prioritizing your respective sport. Nikolov's brother, Alex Nikolov, played at The Beach during the 2021-2022 season and greatly influenced Moni's decision to commit to LBSU. “He was obviously very positive about his time at Long Beach,” Nikolov said. “He helped me a lot in terms of what to expect and everything else when I came here.”
It was in that same 2021-2022 season that LBSU, with Alex Nikolov, defeated the UCLA team, led by current USA Volleyball CEO John Speraw, in the semifinals.
As Moni is a young talent,the father of the Nikolov brothers - Vladimir Nikolov, went to introduce Moni to the legendary coach Speraw, but he "showed no interest" in Moni, rejecting him from UCLA.
With Speraw's resignation last September, Nikolov will not get the chance to play against him and defeat him, but he and The Beach will get two chances to do so against the current national champions on February 7 and 12. (Moni's parents are expected to be in the stands then - ed.)
