The UC Irvine men's volleyball team will be a contender once again as it enters the fast-approaching season ranked fourth in the country. The Anteaters have the talent and experience to reach their ultimate goal of a national title as they return their core group from last year's team that went 21-10 and made an appearance in the NCAA opening round match. They begin their 2019 journey at Loyola Chicago on Jan. 4.
 
One of the key pieces in the 'Eater lineup is senior Aaron Koubi. The 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Cannes, France, averaged 2.78 kills and 1.34 digs per set in 2018. He recently took some time to talk about his hometown, the team's preseason trip to Asia and more in the latest edition of UC Irvine Athletics' Q&A series.
 

Q: Tell us a little bit about your hometown and what it was like growing up in Cannes?

A: Cannes is a very nice town in my opinion. Very warm weather, incredible beaches and it's in the heart of the French Riviera. I was very grateful for the opportunity to go to the beach basically whenever I wanted to as a teenager.

 
Q: How did you get started in volleyball and at what age did you realize it was something you wanted to pursue?

A: I started playing volleyball when I was 5, because I wanted to play with my older brothers. I realized I wanted to pursue it when I got recruited to be part of the state team, then to the national team.

 
Q: Why did you choose to continue your education and playing career at UC Irvine?

A: In the process of being recruited, I was choosing between UC Irvine and UCLA. I remember making my decision based primarily on the fact that the guys at UCI were living on the beach in Newport, which was important to me at the time. This decision led me to much more than I initially expected, and I am very grateful to learn and be part of the UCI culture.

 
Q: Did you face any challenges adapting to life in Irvine? Was there a big difference in playing style?

A: I don't think I've faced any challenges adapting to life here because I am used to traveling for volleyball and living away from home. I also think it's part of my personality to enjoy traveling and going to new places.
 
There is a big difference in the playing style, but more so in the coaching style. To generalize, I would say that American players are more physical on average, but European players are more technical. One reason for that is that in France as young players, we start playing at 2vs2, then evolve to 4vs4 and finally to 6vs6. The meat of practices are drills rather than games. Meanwhile, in America, most young players start playing 6vs6 right away and play mostly games instead of drills.
 

Q:  Most of the guys are back from last year's team that earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. With that experience under your belt, what is the team's mentality and what are your goals heading into 2019?

A: Our mentality is the exact same as it was at the beginning of last year's season. Last year we truly felt like underdogs trying to prove ourselves, and this year, though we know we're a talented and experienced team, we will approach the beginning of the season with the same underdog mentality.

 
Q: Talk a little bit about the team's preseason trip to Asia and what you gained from that experience both on and off the court.

A: On the court, we learned what it was like to play against professionals. They showed us the level of play and the discipline we will need to reach this year to become National Champions. Off the court, I think it was a great opportunity to get fully introduced to the new guys and to let them dive right into the basis of what our team is about. The fact that we didn't have our phones for three weeks helped us bond as a team and helped us immerse ourselves in the incredible experiences that each of the three countries we visited had to offer.

 
Q: Living in Newport Beach, what does a typical off day look like for you?

A: Typical days off in Newport consist of walking to the beach to play some volleyball, frisbee, football, and corn hole with the boys, and maybe getting some sunset footage if it looks nice.

 
Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of volleyball?

A: Outside of volleyball, my hobbies are playing beach, soccer, going spearfishing, going camping, using my drone, making videos, playing chess and many more that I'm probably forgetting.

 
Q: Do you have a favorite volleyball player to watch?

A: My favorite player to watch is Jeremie Mouiel, a French national team libero. He is probably the best of his kind, very small but very quick and talented.
 

Q: What are your plans after you finish up your last volleyball season and your master's program at UCI?

A: My plan following my time at UCI is to get a job, hopefully a job that allows me to practice beach volleyball, with the goal of practicing all year long to compete in the AVP the following summer.