Nieko Thomas Award Defensive Player of the Week Week Of 10/20/2025 Sport Women's Volleyball School Long Beach State Year Senior Position Middle Blocker Hometown West Hills, Calif. High School Taft HS Long Beach State’s Nieko Thomas led the Long Beach State defense to a pair of victories and a first career nod as Big West Defensive Player of the Week. The fifth-year senior from West Hills, Calif., averaged 2.0 blocks per set on the week, highlighted by a career-high matching 10 total blocks in Thursday’s 3-1 win against UC San Diego. Thomas also added five kills in the contest. In LBSU's first sweep of Hawai'i since 2023, Thomas recorded four blocks, three digs, and four kills in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU. Thomas ranks second in The Big West in blocking average with 1.23 per set.