IRVINE, Calif. – Francesco Sani and Hilir Henno were named to the All-Big West first-team, while Joe Karlous was an honorable mention selection and Maxim Grigoriev was an All-Freshman Team honoree.

Sani and Henno claim their second consecutive first-team distinction. UC Irvine has had at least two players recognized on the first team since the league started in 2018 and had 34 first team selections overall.

Sani leads the Big West in points (4.77) and kills (3.99), ranking sixth and seventh respectively in those categories nationally. The junior is third in the Big West and 19^th nationally in ace average (.420) as well as fifth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.312). The opposite was named AVCA National Collegiate Player of the Week as well as Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Apr. 4, 2023. He has pounded 20 or more kills seven times this season and owns five of the top 12 kill performances in the Big West this season.

Henno leads the country in aces, averaging .900 per set. The sophomore has 80 aces on the season, a UCI record as well as second most by an NCAA player in a season all-time. He fired a career-best nine aces against Penn State, tied for most in the country this season. He is third in the Big West and 16^th nationally in points (4.39) per game as well sixth in kills (3.28), seventh in hitting percentage (.291) and 10^th in digs (1.55) among Big West players. Henno was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week twice as well as AVCA National Player of the Week on Jan.10, 2023.

Karlous has made an immediate impact in his first year with the Anteaters. The setter has guided UCI to a .400 or better hitting percentage five times, including a .592 clip versus Concordia, the second-best mark in the country and tops for a Big West team this season. He is averaging 9.30 set assists per set as well as 1.88 digs. The junior has five double-doubles, including a career-high 16 digs against Penn State. He dished a career-best 53 set assists against UC Santa Barbara. Karlous was also named Big West Defensive Player of the Week Mar. 20, 2023.

Grigoriev becomes the 11^th Anteater to be named to the Big West All-Freshman team and 14^th overall, He has been named Big West Freshman of the Week three times in 2023. The middle blocker is averaging 1.18 kills and 0.90 blocks over 50 sets. He had a career-best performance at Concordia, hitting .692  with 10 kills on 13 swings and just one error. He has recorded at least one block in all but one match he has played in, rejecting a career-high seven block assists versus BYU.

Fifth-ranked UCI will take on CSUN Thursday in the first round of the Big West Championship Thursday (Apr. 20) at 7:30 p.m. Buy Tickets