Bulgarian flag on the highest peak in college volleyball!
Hurricane Nikolov! Historic night for Bulgaria in NCAA🌪️

Bulgarian setter Moni Nikolov was once again in his element, leading Long Beach State to their fourth national title in program history after 'The Beach' crushed #3 UCLA 3-0 (25:17, 25:23, 25:21) in front of over 3000 spectators at the Covelli Center, Ohio, Columbus.Nikolov was deservedly chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the Final Tournamentof the NCAA, after playing yet anotheroutstanding match – 11 points - 27 assists, 6 attack points, 4 aces, 1 block and 2 digs in defense! 🔥🇧🇬 The triumph happened in front of his two parents - legend Vladimir Nikolov and his wife Maya.

🔝With this match, Moni Nikolov finished the season with 106 aces – an absolute record in NCAA history in the rally-scoring era!

Moni was joined in the Ideal Team of the tournament by the other BulgarianAlex Kandez, who scored 13 attack points with 65% efficiency! Together with Canadian star Skyler Varga, they formed the trio that dominated the final. 💪

Long Beach State finished the season with a 30-3 record, becoming the second team in university history with at least 30 wins in a single season – after the 1991 champions (31-4).

The team of the three Bulgarians – Moni Nikolov, Alex Kandez and Georgi Binev – beat UCLA in almost every statistical category:

• Attacked with 35.4% efficiency

• Limited the Bruins to 19.2% in attack

• Made 9.5 blocks and 5 aces

• Tied the NCAA record for most aces in a single season (237) in the rally-scoring era

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• Part one (25:17):The match started with an ace by Moni Nikolov. After a series of blocks and another ace by Varga, Long Beach took an 11:7 lead and did not relinquish it until the end. The team attacked with an incredible .688 in this set!

• Part two (25:23):UCLA led 13:8, but Nikolov with two consecutive aces brought "The Beach" back into the game. After three consecutive points and an attack by McRaven, LBSU turned it around and took this set as well.

• Part three (25:21):A new block by Moni Nikolov and McRaven began a domination, and Alex Koundev led the team to the championship point, before Nikolov himself spiked the last ball for the title. 🏐💥
  
  

  

The 2025 season will go down in history asa golden era for Bulgarian volleyball in the US college championshipafter five of our players shone withremarkable individual and team honors:

🔥Moni Nikolov(Long Beach State) – the setter with the atomic serve once again rewrote history!

• Selected forAVCA Newcomer of the Year 2025

• Named to theFirst Team All-America, replicating the feat of his brother, Alex Nikolov, from 2022.

• Became thePlayer of the Year in collegiate volleyball, also triumphing with the title.

• Finished as theabsolute record holder for aces in NCAA history – 106 aces in a single season! 🧨

• MVP of the Final Tournament and champion with Long Beach State
  
  

  

🥇Georgi Binev (Long Beach State) – the freshman recorded aunique achievement for the program:

• The first volleyball player in the university's history to be awarded the prestigiousNCAA Elite 90 award- recognition for the highest academic and athletic results among all participants in the Finals!

🏐Kristian Titriyski(Hawai'i) - the "Warriors" opposite was among the leaders in points in the country:

• Selected forSecond Team All-Americaby AVCA - his first such recognition

• He entered the Top 3 in attack points in Big West and was awarded National Player of the Week

💥Stiliyan Delibosov(CSUN/Northridge) - the middle blocker finished his stellar debut season with:

• Selection inThe First Team of the Big West Conference

• He also received national recognition -"Honorable Mention" All-Americanby AVCA!

🌟Alex Kandez(Long Beach State) - consistent all season, powerful in the final:

• Selected inBig West Conference All-Conference Team

• He scored 13 attack points with 65% efficiency in the final match against UCLA
  
  📚 To the golden generation of Bulgarians in Long Beach, we must also add the name ofLazar Buchkov – a middle blocker who was part of the squad that playedtwo finals: in 2022 with Alex Nikolov against Hawaii and in 2024 against UCLA. And although he appeared less frequently this championship campaign (7 participations),Buchkov is part of the squad that finally reached the top!
  
  

  

  
  
  
  🏐Bulgarians in the Top 5 of the 2025 Men's Volleyball Cumulative Statistics for Long Beach State:

  🔹Attack Points:

  • 🥉3. Alex Kandev – 210

  • 🏅4. Moni Nikolov – 173

  🔹Assists:

  • 🥇1. Moni Nikolov – 1109(team leader and among national leaders)

  🔹Aces (serve):

  • 🥇1. Moni Nikolov - 106 (national record!)

  • 🥉3. Alex K ndev - 21

  🔹Digs:

  • 🥇1. Moni Nikolov - 168

  • 🖐5. Alex K ndev - 70

  🔹Block points:

  • 🥈2. Moni Nikolov - 81