The Beach came to dominate — and that’s exactly what they did.
In a statement-making sweep at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio, Long Beach State shut down defending champs UCLA to win the 2025 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship, 25–17, 25–23, 25–21.
No extra sets.
No doubt.
Just straight fire from a team that’s been locked in all season.
🔥 CHAMPIONSHIP SNAPSHOT
- 📍 Location: Covelli Center, Columbus, OH
- 🆚 Final: No. 1 LBSU vs No. 3 UCLA
- 📺 Broadcast: ESPN2
- 💥 Result: 3–0 sweep (25–17, 25–23, 25–21)
From the opening serve — a Moni Nikolov ace, naturally — the Beach put their stamp on this one.
They hit .688 in Set 1 (yeah, seriously), out-blocked, out-served, and outplayed the Bruins from wire to wire.
UCLA, chasing a three-peat, never found a rhythm.
LBSU? Controlled tempo, attitude, and every swing in between.
“This team is special. The way we showed up tonight — I’ll never forget it.”
— Alan Knipe, LBSU Head Coach
YOUR 2025 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, LONG BEACH STATE! #GoBeach #LBNation #LBGRIT #ExpectGreatness pic.twitter.com/xLZfFVEYkM
— Long Beach State Men’s VB (@LBSUMVB) May 13, 2025
🧠 MONI ERA CONFIRMED
It’s official: Moni Nikolov is HIM.
The AVCA and Big West Player of the Year did exactly what legends do — he set the tone early, played with poise, and distributed the offense like a vet. His presence was felt on every touch.
Add in a deep, balanced supporting cast and you’ve got a team that hit .354 overall and held UCLA to just .192. That’s a chokehold at the national level.
🏆 ALAN KNIPE: LEGACY LOCKED
Let’s talk Knipe.
- 🏐 Won LBSU’s first title as a player (1991)
- 🧠 Coached them to titles in 2018, 2019, and now 2025
- 📈 Cemented his place as one of college volleyball’s all-time greats
This isn’t just a coach. This is the architect of Long Beach’s dynasty rise.
📊 2025 TOURNAMENT RECAP
Key Quarterfinals:
- Long Beach State def. Fort Valley State
- Loyola Chicago def. Pepperdine
- UCLA def. Belmont Abbey
- Hawai‘i def. Penn State
Semis:
- LBSU def. Pepperdine
- UCLA def. Hawai‘i
And then came the clash of the titans — one that only lasted three sets, thanks to the Beach.
🏐 NCAA VOLLEYBALL POWER SHIFT?
Let’s be real:
- UCLA: Still has 21 titles. Still a powerhouse.
- Hawai‘i: Always in the mix.
- Pepperdine, Loyola, Penn State: Dangerous on the right day.
But Long Beach State?
Three rings since 2018.
Elite recruiting.
Next-gen leadership.
And a chip-on-the-shoulder culture that wins.
“We’re not done. We’re building something bigger.”
— Moni Nikolov, probably tomorrow
📈 RECENT CHAMPS
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Long Beach State | UCLA | 3–0 | Columbus, OH |
| 2024 | UCLA | Long Beach St. | 3–1 | Long Beach, CA |
| 2023 | UCLA | Hawai‘i | 3–1 | Fairfax, VA |
| 2022 | Hawai‘i | Long Beach St. | 3–0 | Westwood, CA |
It’s a rivalry. It’s a takeover. It’s elite volleyball at its peak.
🏁 FINAL SERVE
The Beach is back on top, and the message is loud:
The next wave of college volleyball power isn’t coming —
it already hit shore.
This championship wasn’t just a win.
It was a flex.
A culture check.
A signal to the entire volleyball world:
Long Beach runs this.
P.S. – If you saw the post-match interview with Moni, you might also wonder how much he could get fined for dropping an F-Bomb? Leave your guesses in the comments below.
I loved that Moni killed the overpass for the last play of the match. So cool!