RVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine head men's volleyball coach David Kniffin will welcome seven newcomers, which includes two transfers and five freshmen to the 2024 squad.

Veterans Nolan Flexen and Brett Sheward join Shane Aitken, Kobe Brown, Andon Kiriakou, Nicolas Restrepo and Aiden Rigg in the class.

Flexen comes to UCI after earning AVCA and NAIA Player of Year accolades at The Master's University. He led the nation in kills per set (5.3), hitting percentage (0.451) and points per set (5.9), while setting school season records in kills (424), total attacks (748) and service aces (28). During the NAIA National Championship Tournament, recorded 35 kills on 65 attempts, both records. He totaled 89 kills for the tournament, also a record. He was also named AVCA NAIA Freshman of the Year, first team All-American as well as Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The outside hitter led the Mustangs to a GSAC tournament title and the NAIA National Championship Tournament.

Sheward is a familiar face, transferring from Hawaii where he as a member of UH's national championship teams in 2021 and 2022. Sheward was the primary libero on Hawaii's Big West Championship teams in 2022 and 2023. As a junior, he earned AVCA All-America honorable mention and All-Big West first team recognition. The 2023 finalist for Off the Block's Erik Shoji Award, led the Big West in digs (235) and was ranked eighth nationally in dig average (2.20). While at Hawaii, he had a career-high 17 digs versus Ball State and 55 assists against Concordia.

Aitken is a libero who hails from St. Margaret's where he helped the Tartans to a 25-4 overall and 12-0 league record as a senior. He was a member of St. Margaret's 2022 CIF championship team and CIF regional semifinal squad in 2023. He was honored as All-CIF and second team All-Orange County. The 2022 AAU All-American won a gold medal and two bronze medals at junior nationals with A4 and 949.

Brown played basketball at Technology High School and was a two-time All-Coastal Mountain League honoree. The scholar-athlete played for Mountain View Volleyball Club.

Kiriakou attended Uxbridge Secondary School where he led his team to a Provincial High School Championship and was honored as Athlete of the Year in 2023. The opposite is also a talented beach player, representing Canada at the U19 Beach Volleyball Championships in Turkey and the Commonwealth Games in Tobago where he took home gold.

Restrepo is a graduate of Rancho Campana High School, but they did not field athletic teams so he competed for Adolfo Camarillo High School in both volleyball and basketball. The scholar-athlete was a two-time all-league first team selection as well as team MVP, serving as team captain as a senior. He played for Point West 118 Volleyball Club, garnering a bronze medal in 18s. He was named first team all-tournament at the SoCal Cup Winter Formal, while his 18s team also won a gold medal at the SoCal Cup "The Showcase".

Rigg, who did not play his senior year due to an injury, graduated from Punahou High School where he won state and league titles with the Buff n' Blue. He was an all-tournament team selection for Outrigger Volleyball Club and helped them capture a national championship in 17s.