LA JOLLA, Calif. - Big West play continues for the UC San Diego men's volleyball team this week as they face fourth-ranked Long Beach State in a home-and-home series.
The Tritons host the Beach at LionTree Arena on Friday, March 31, before facing off again on Saturday, April 1, at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach. Both contests are slated for 7 p.m. starts.
UC San Diego hasn't played since March 16 when it swept No. 123 CSUN on the road for its first conference win of the season. It was also the first Big West victory for head coach Brad Rostratter.
The Tritons are 7-12 overall and 1-4 in the Big West.
Long Beach State is 14-3 on the season and has gone 3-1 in conference action. Most recently, the Beach swept a two-match non-conference series against 11th-ranked USC. The only loss for LBSU was against top-ranked Hawai'i, but the Beach also defeated the Warriors during their two-match series in Honolulu.
Free UC San Diego flags to the first 350 fans in attendance Friday night!
THE ESSENTIALS
--- Match 20: Big West ---
• UC San Diego (7-12, 1-4) vs.
No. 4 Long Beach State (14-3, 3-1)
• Friday / March 31 / 7 p.m. Pacific
•
LionTree Arena / La Jolla, California (
map)
•
Tickets
•
ESPN+
•
Live Stats
•
Twitter /
Instagram
• FREE UC San Diego flags to the first 350 in attendance
--- Match 21: Big West ---
• UC San Diego (7-12, 1-4) at
No. 4 Long Beach State (14-3, 3-1)
• Saturday / April 1 / 7 p.m. Pacific
•
Walter Pyramid / Long Beach, California (
map)
•
Tickets
•
Live Stats
•
Twitter /
Instagram
THE SERIES: TRITONS V THE BEACH
Overall: Long Beach State leads 71-6
First Meeting: 1/20/89, Long Beach State wins 3-0
Last Meeting: 4/9/22, UC San Diego wins 3-2 in La Jolla (
box score)
Last Long Beach State Win: 4/8/22, 3-0 in Long Beach (
box score)
Current Streak: UC San Diego 1 win
ABOUT THE UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Overall: 7-12
• Big West: 1-4
• Home: 4-3
• Away: 1-7
• Neutral: 2-2
• Streak: 1 win
• Against nationally-ranked teams: 1-10
• AVCA national ranking: Not ranked
• Big West Preseason Poll: 6th of 6
ABOUT THE LONG BEACH STATE BEACH
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Overall: 14-3
• Big West: 3-1
• Home: 8-1
• Away: 5-2
• Neutral: 1-0
• Streak: 2 wins
• Against nationally-ranked teams: 6-3
• AVCA national ranking: 4
• Big West Preseason Poll: 2nd of 6
2023 BIG WEST STANDINGS (through 3/30)
| Team |
Big West |
Overall |
| UC Irvine |
4-0 |
14-6 |
| Hawai'i |
3-1 |
20-2 |
| Long Beach State |
3-1 |
14-3 |
| CSUN |
1-3 |
12-9 |
| UC San Diego |
1-4 |
7-12 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
1-4 |
5-13 |
UC SAN DIEGO ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Starters Returning (1)
•
Ryan Ka (Sr. OH)
Starters Lost (5)
•
Shane Benetz (MB)
•
Logan Clark (MB)
•
Blake Crisp (S)
•
Wyatt Harrison (OH)
•
Kyle McCauley (OH)
Primary Liberos Returning (0)
Primary Liberos Lost (1)
• Matt Palma
Others Returning (12)
• Ben Blakely (So. OPP/OH)
• Andrew Boyle (Jr. S)
• Gabriel Dyer (So. S/OPP)
• Jim Garrison (R-Fr. MB)
• Matthew Lim (So. OH)
• Berkeley Miesfeld (R-Sr. OPP)
• Brett Pursley (R-Fr. OH)
• Nick Rigo (Jr. MB)
• Josh Schellinger (R-Fr. OH)
• Peter Selcho (R-Fr. MB)
• Michael Urdahl (R-Sr. MB)
• Paya Vatanshenas (R-So. L)
Others Lost (2)
• Jason Lee (OH)
• Charlie Siragusa (OH/OPP)
Newcomers (8)
• Evan Boyle (Fr. L)
• Joshua Ewert (Fr. OH)
• Spiro Maranda (So. MB)
• Leo Pravednikov (Fr. OH)
• Michael Robertson (Fr. OPP)
• Sam Warren (So. OH)
• Zachary Weston (So. MB)
• Cameron Wurl (Fr. S)
EVAN BOYLE CLAIMS SECOND BIG WEST WEEKLY AWARD OF THE SEASON
On Monday, March 6, true freshman libero
Evan Boyle was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Week. Boyle averaged 3.2 digs per set over two matches and nine sets. At UC Santa Barbara, Boyle established a new career-high with 15 digs, which was also a match-best. He tacked on four assists to his totals against the Gauchos. At home against No. 12 Ball State, Boyle had a near-identical performance, finishing with a match-high 14 digs and adding four assists. It was the second Big West weekly honor for Boyle in 2023 as he was tabbed the conference's Freshman of the Week back on Jan. 19.
RYAN KA DROPS 31 KILLS AGAINST BALL STATE
Against No. 12 Ball State on March 5 in La Jolla, senior outside
Ryan Ka set a new career-high with 31 kills.
• 31 kills are the third-most in a five-set NCAA Division I or NCAA Division II match this season (33 by Isaiah Fedd of Fort Valley State, 32 by Uriel Batista of Concordia).
• 31 kills are the fifth-most in any NCAA Division I or NCAA Division II match this season (35 and 33 by Raas Jesse Delancy of Benedict).
• The last Triton to produce at least 31 kills was Tanner Syftestad, who had 31 on Jan. 28, 2017 against Hope International (five sets).
• Former Triton Frank Fritsch had 33 kills in a win against Hawai'i on March 13, 2009 (four sets).
• Ka's previous career-high for kills was 25 against UC Irvine on March 12, 2021.
SCHELLINGER NAMED BIG WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK FOR THIRD TIME
On Monday, for the third time this season and the second-straight week, UC San Diego's
Josh Schellinger was named the Big West Freshman of the Week. Over two matches and eight sets, Schellinger averaged 3.2 points and 3.1 kills per set. Against CSUN at home, UC San Diego's first Big West match of the season, Schellinger finished with 12 kills, seven digs, a block, and an assist. Earlier in the week on the road at Concordia, he logged 13 kills on a .417 attack percentage while also contributing two digs. Through 14 matches in 2023, Schellinger is averaging 3.2 points per set and 2.9 kills per set. Both of those averages rank second on the team. He currently holds a .358 hitting percentage. Schellinger also received the conference honor on Feb. 20 and Jan. 23.
SELCHO, SCHELLINGER EARN OFF THE BLOCK RECOGNITION
Peter Selcho was named Off the Block's Defensive Player of the Night on Jan. 17, while Josh Schellinger was selected as the outlet's Offensive Player of the Night on Jan. 18. Schellinger put down a career-best 15 kills and hit an astounding .714 (15-0-21) while also adding a pair of service aces against Menlo College. Selcho was big at the net against Emmanuel, finishing with a career-high seven blocks. The Tritons won both matches in straight sets.
THEIR FIRST TIME OUT
Eight Tritons have made their collegiate debuts so far this season:
Evan Boyle,
Jim Garrison,
Michael Robertson,
Brett Pursley,
Josh Schellinger,
Peter Selcho,
Sam Warren, and Zachary Weston.
EVAN BOYLE NAMED BIG WEST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
On Jan. 9,
Evan Boyle was selected as the Big West Freshman of the Week. Making his collegiate debut at UC Santa Barbara's Asics Invitational, Boyle averaged 1.9 digs per set over three matches as the Tritons' libero. In UC San Diego's season-opening win against Lincoln Memorial, Boyle contributed 10 digs while adding four assists. Facing UCLA, the second-ranked team in the nation, he collected four digs and against No. 10 USC he finished with another 10 digs. From La Crescenta, Calif., and Crescenta Valley High School, Boyle is majoring in business economics at UC San Diego.
DYER SELECTED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM AT UC SANTA BARBARA
Setter
Gabriel Dyer was named to the Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team for his play over three matches in Santa Barbara. He totaled 110 assists, an average of 8.5 per set. Dyer kicked off the tourney with 41 helpers in a win against Lincoln Memorial. He finished with 19 against No. 2 UCLA and then established a new career high with 50 against No. 10 USC.
2023 BOX SCORES
• 3/16:
UC San Diego 3, CSUN 0 *
• 3/11:
UC Irvine 3, UC San Diego 0 *
• 3/10:
UC San Diego 0, UC Irvine 3 *
• 3/5:
Ball State 3, UC San Diego 2
• 3/3:
UC San Diego 1, UC Santa Barbara 3 *
• 2/24:
CSUN 3, UC San Diego 1 *
• 2/21:
UC San Diego 1, Concordia 3
• 2/14:
Westcliff 0, UC San Diego 3
• 2/3:
Ottawa 0, UC San Diego 3
• 1/29:
UC San Diego 0, No 9 Grand Canyon 3
• 1/28:
Erskine 0, UC San Diego 3 &
• 1/21:
UC San Diego 0, No 2 UCLA 3
• 1/18:
Menlo 0, UC San Diego 3
• 1/17:
Emmanuel 0, UC San Diego 3
• 1/14:
UC San Diego 1, No. 15 Lewis 3
• 1/13:
UC San Diego 0, No 12 Loyola 3
• 1/7:
No. 10 USC 3, UC San Diego 2 #
• 1/6:
No. 2 UCLA 3, UC San Diego 0 #
• 1/5:
Lincoln Memorial 2, UC San Diego 3 #
* Big West
& at Phoenix
# at Santa Barbara, Calif.
AVCA NATIONAL POLL
(3/27/23)
1. Hawai'i
2. UCLA
3. Penn State
4. Long Beach State
tie-5. Grand Canyon
tie-5. UC Irvine
7. BYU
8. Pepperdine
9. Stanford
10. Loyola Chicago
11. USC
12. Ball State
13. Ohio State
14. Charleston
15. CSUN
Receiving votes: None
BIG RANKINGS FOR THE BIG WEST
Four of the six Big West teams can be found in this week's AVCA Top 15 National Poll.
1. Hawai'i
4. Long Beach State
tie-5. UC Irvine
15. CSUN
2023 BIG WEST PRESEASON POLL
1. Hawai'i
2. Long Beach State
3. UC Irvine
4. UC Santa Barbara
5. CSUN
6. UC San Diego
HEAD COACH BRAD ROSTRATTER
Brad Rostratter was named head coach of the UC San Diego men's volleyball program on October 7, 2022. He earned his first career win with the Tritons on Jan. 5, 2023, when the team defeated Lincoln Memorial in five sets at UC Santa Barbara's Asics Invitational. It was the team's season opener. Rostratter collected his first Big West victory on the road at CSUN when the Tritons swept the Matadors on March 16. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Coach of the Year and two-time Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Coach of the Year, Rostratter came to La Jolla from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., where he served as the men's volleyball head coach since the program's inception in 2019. He led the Lions to a pair of GSAC regular season titles, a league tournament title, and two appearances at the NAIA National Tournament.
Complete Rostratter Bio
UP NEXT
UC San Diego and Long Beach State get into it again on Saturday, April 1, at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach (7 p.m.).
TRITON BOX OFFICE
Single game tickets to UC San Diego volleyball home matches are now on-sale. For more information or to purchase,
click here. Currently enrolled UC San Diego students are provided free admission by showing a valid campus ID at the arena entrance.
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games, men's and women's soccer matches, men's and women's volleyball matches, baseball, and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+.
TRITON MATCHES ALSO BROADCAST BY KSDT
All remaining home matches this season will be broadcast live by KSDT, UC San Diego's student-run radio station. Tune in at
KSDT.UCSD.EDU.
GAME DAY HAS A NEW LOOK
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit
UCSDTritons.com/MVBgameday from their smart phone or scan the QR code at the entrance to LionTree Arena for everything they need to know about each home game, including updated rosters, schedules, and stats for each team, as well as links to watch on ESPN+.
BE SOCIAL!
UC San Diego Athletics on Facebook (UCSDtritons)
UC San Diego Athletics on Instagram (UCSDtritons)
UC San Diego Athletics on Twitter (@UCSDtritons)
UC San Diego Men's Volleyball on Instagram (UCSDmvb)
UC San Diego Men's Volleyball on Twitter (@UCSDmvb)
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the
Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
GEAR HERE
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, visit the official team store of the Tritons
here.
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
OUR HOME HAS A NEW NAME
UC San Diego's volleyball home has been named
LionTree Arena in recognition of a $5 million gift for scholar-athletes from LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank with expertise in technology, media, and the digital economy. LionTree was founded by UC San Diego alumnus Aryeh B. Bourkoff, who also serves as the firm's CEO. LionTree's gift is the largest ever received by UC San Diego Athletics, establishing the LionTree Endowed Scholarship Fund to support scholar-athletes. The gift total contributed to the
Campaign for UC San Diego, which concluded on June 30, 2022. Bourkoff also served as co-chair of the Campaign for UC San Diego Cabinet.
NCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL LANDSCAPE
The NCAA combines Division I and Division II teams into a single national championship (National Collegiate Championship), while Division III squads have a stand-alone championship (NCAA Division III National Championship). There are 60 Division I and Division II teams combined, with 49 of those making up seven conferences. Another 11 institutions are independent. In 2023, the Northeast Conference (NEC) became the seventh conference to compete at the Division I/II level in men's volleyball.
The Big West (6)
CSUN (DI)
Hawai'i (DI)
Long Beach State (DI)
UC Irvine (DI)
UC San Diego (DI)
UC Santa Barbara (DI)
Conference Carolinas (8)
Barton (DII)
Belmont Abbey (DII)
Emmanuel (GA) (DII)
Erskine (DII)
King (TN) (DII)
Lees-McRae (DII)
Mount Olive (DII)
North Greenville (DII)
Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (6)
Charleston (WV) (DII)
George Mason (DI)
Harvard (DI)
NJIT (DI)
Penn State (DI)
Princeton (DI)
Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (8)
Ball State (DI)
Lewis (DII)
Lindenwood (DII)
Loyola Chicago (DI)
McKendree (DII)
Ohio State (DI)
Purdue Fort Wayne (DI)
Quincy (DII)
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (7)
BYU (DI)
Concordia Irvine (DII)
Grand Canyon (DI)
Pepperdine (DI)
Stanford (DI)
UCLA (DI)
USC (DI)
Northeast Conference (8)
D'Youville (DII)
Daemen (DII)
Fairleigh Dickinson (DII)
Long Island University (DII)
Merrimack (DI)
Sacred Heart (DII)
Saint Francis (DII)
St. Francis Brooklyn (DII)
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (6)
Benedict (DII)
Central State (DII)
Edward Waters (DII)
Fort Valley State (DII)
Kentucky State (DII)
Morehouse (DII)
Independent (11)
Alderson Broaddus (DII)
American International (DII)
Limestone (DII)
Lincoln Memorial (DII)
Maryville (DII)
Missouri S&T (DII)
Puerto Rico at Bayamon (DII)
Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (DII)
Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras (DII)
Queens (NC) (DII)
Tusculum (DII)
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America accolades, while 38 have received prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among NCAA Division I and II institutions.
