Simeon “Moni” Nikolov is a freshman starting setter for our local Cal State Long Beach Men’s Volleyball team. At only 18 years old and 6-foot-10, Nikolov has the fastest recorded topspin serve in NCAA volleyball at 84 miles per hour.
This talented setter from Sofia, Bulgaria played on the Bulgarian national team last year at only 17 years old. This was Nikolov’s first and last season playing with the Beach and it’s been confirmed that he’ll be returning as the starting setter for the Bulgarian National next season.
On May 12, 2025, the team finished their season winning the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship in Columbus, Ohio—Nikolov winning game point with an insane overpass kill. Upon their arrival back to Long Beach they were greeted with a parade celebration (May 13), a parade (May 14) and celebrations at local Long Beach restaurants the Altar (May 14) and Boathouse on the Bay (May 15).
Right after their victory, Nikolov states in an interview with ESPN, “Not for one second did we think we were going to lose that game… We were born for this (expletive) game. Even when we were down five, we trusted each other because we knew we were the better team.”
His stats at the end of the season consisted of 999 assists, 104 service aces, 153 kills and 77 total blocks.
Nikolov has been awarded the Cal State Long Beach Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Head Coach Alan Knipe speaks on this accomplishment according to an article on the CSULB Athletics page, “When you are honored with both [awards] in the same year, it’s rare. Moni is a very unique volleyball player and competitor.”
His newfound fame has Millikan students raving about Nikolov. Tracy Beaton, a freshman in QUEST, and a die-hard fan expressed, “It’s exhilarating to watch him play live and really exciting to see. I think that his best skill is definitely the way he’s able to run his offense to the best of his ability and at the same time be a strong offensive player himself.”
Despite Nikolov’s short time at CSULB, his impact on the team will be hard to forget.
