All-Time Weekly Winners >>>

Offensive Player of the Week Nolan Flexen, UC Irvine | Senior • Outside Hitter • Rio Rancho, N.M.

• After leading No. 2 UC Irvine to a pair of wins over No. 5 USC, Nolan Flexen has been named Big West Offensive Player of the Week. This marks Flexen’s second such honor, also winning the award back on Jan. 27.  

• In another installment of a historically intense rivalry, the Anteaters won Wednesday’s first meeting last week 28-26 in the fifth set. Flexen went for seven kills (7-0-9) in the fifth frame and as UCI fought off eight match points, with two of Flexen’s kills extending the match.  

• At the end of the night, the senior outside hitter led the Anteaters with a first career double-double with a career-high 27 kills and 12 digs, all while hitting .420 with just six errors in 50 swings. Flexen also contributed had five blocks and an ace in the marathon match.  

• In the second contest in Los Angeles, the native of Rio Rancho, N.M., led UCI once again with 14 kills on .346 hitting to go along with five digs and a block in the tidy sweep.  

• With the big offensive output against the Trojans, Flexen upped the season average to 4.37 kills per set, good for third in the nation, and 5.10 points per set to rank in a tie for fourth.  

Also Nominated: Jim Garrison (UC San Diego); Daniil Hershtynovic (Long Beach State); Owen Loncar (UC Santa Barbara)

Defensive Player of the Week Maxim Grigoriev, UC Irvine | Junior • Middle Blocker • Walnut Creek, Calif.

• UC Irvine’s Maxim Grigoriev was big on the block as the No. 2 Anteaters downed No. 5 USC in two matches as the junior claimed Big West Defensive Player of the Week. This is Grigoriev’s first career defensive honor after picking up three freshman awards during the 2023 season.  

• In Wednesday’s five-set win against the Trojans, Grigoriev had a career-high 12 total blocks - including two solo stuffs - the most by a player in the country this season. The 12 blocks are the most by a UCI student-athlete since 2021 when Scott Stadick had 12 (1 solo/11 assisted) against UC San Diego on March 11. As a team, the Anteaters finished with a season-high 17.5 total blocks. 

• In the Valentine’s Day sweep at USC, Grigoriev totaled four total blocks (1 solo) with four digs, two kills and an ace to set the weekly averages at 2.00 blocks and 0.88 digs per set.  

• Grigoriev is fifth in The Big West and 25th nationally in blocking average at 1.000 per set. 

Also Nominated: Bryce Dvorak (UC San Diego); Cole Schobel (UC Santa Barbara)

Setter of the Week Moni Nikolov, Long Beach State | Freshman • Setter • Sofia, Bulgaria

• Moni Nikolov's all-around play as a freshman setter continues to lead No. 1 Long Beach State and the pair of sweeps on the week resulted in Big West Setter of the Week honors for the first time.  

• On the road at No. 3 UCLA, Nikolov finished with seven kills on .600 hitting while assisting on 34 plays and adding a team-high three blocks in a sweep of the Bruins. The Beach hit .442 as a team with Nikolov guiding the offense to the Wednesday win and season sweep in the rematch of the 2024 National Collegiate Championship. 

• In Friday’s home match against Vanguard, Long Beach State hit .477 as a team, with Nikolov again powering down seven kills to go with 25 assists and four aces in the three-set affair.  

• Impressively, the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, leads the nation with a 1.081 ace average and rates 21st in the country with 9.51 assists per set for top-ranked Long Beach State.  

Also Nominated: Donovan Constable (CSUN); Bryce Dvorak (UC San Diego); Joe Karlous (UC Irvine); Cole Schobel (UC Santa Barbara)

Freshman of the Week Moni Nikolov, Long Beach State | Freshman • Setter • Sofia, Bulgaria

• Moni Nikolov's all-around play from the setter position continues to lead No. 1 Long Beach State and the pair of sweeps on the week resulted in Big West Freshman of the Week honors. This is Nikolov’s third first-year player award of the season. 

• On the road at No. 3 UCLA, Nikolov finished with seven kills on .600 hitting while assisting on 34 plays and adding a team-high three blocks in a sweep of the Bruins. The Beach hit .442 as a team with Nikolov guiding the offense to the Wednesday win and season sweep in the rematch of the 2024 National Collegiate Championship. 

• In Friday’s home match against Vanguard, Long Beach State hit .477 as a team, with Nikolov again powering down seven kills to go with 25 assists and four aces in the three-set affair.  

• Impressively, the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, leads the nation with a 1.081 ace average and rates 21st in the country with 9.51 assists per set for top-ranked Long Beach State.  

Also Nominated: Shane Aitken (UC Irvine); Keegan Cook (UC San Diego); Stilian Delibosov (CSUN); Ethan Saint (UC Santa Barbara)