Photo by: Matt Brown
No. 6 UC Irvine Takes On No. 16 Penn State At NCAA Championship
April 29, 2026 | Men's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
NCAA Championship - Los Angeles Regional
May 1-2, 2026
Los Angeles, Calif. / Pauley Pavilion
No. 16 Penn State vs No. 6 UC Irvine
Friday, May 1 | 6:00 PM
Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
No. 6 UC Irvine takes on No. 16 Penn State in the NCAA regional round Friday (May 1) at 6:00 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.
The winner advances to face UCLA Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
2026 marks the first season of the 12-team format, which includes four regions of three teams.
STORYLINES
Sixth-ranked UC Irvine received an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship.
The Anteaters are 18-8 overall.
Five of UCI's losses have come in five sets and all eight setbacks against teams in the Top 9 nationally.
UCI finished in a tie for third in the Big West with a 5-5 mark.
UC Irvine is 9-4 overall in NCAA competition all-time, capturing national titles in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
The Anteaters return to the championship for the ninth time (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2024),
UCI assistant coach Michael Brinkley was a member of the Anteater team that captured the 2013 championship at Pauley Pavilion and was named to the all-tournament team. Head coach David Kniffin and Pepperdine's Rod Wilde are the only two head coaches to capture a crown in their first season at the helm with Kniffin winning in 2013 at UCLA.
The Anteaters made their last NCAA appearance in 2024, beating Penn State in the opening round, 3-0 then falling in five to No. 1 UCLA.
In UCI's first NCAA appearance in 2006, the No. 4 seeded Nittany Lions upset the No. 1 ranked Anteaters 3-2 (32-30, 30-23, 31-33, 27-30, 15-13) in a semifinal contest in University Park in the infamous lights out match. PSU's Max Holt recorded a kill to put the Nittany Lions up 14-13 in the fifth and stepped back to the service line when the arena lights, which were on a timer, went out. After a 14-minute delay, Holt would serve an ace for the match winner, 15-13.
The next year, UCI topped Penn State, 3-1 in a semifinal on the way to capturing its first national title in 2007. The Anteaters also beat the Nittany Lions, 3-1 in the semifinals on the way to the 2012 national title.
In another connection, Penn State defeated Pepperdine to win their second national championship in 2008 at UC Irvine's Bren Events Center.
All-time, UCI holds an 9-6 advantage against Penn State.
UC Irvine opened the season with 11 consecutive wins, a school record for victories to start a year.
The Anteaters are third in the Big West in kills (12.34), points (15.94) and digs (8.18).
William D'Arcy and Andrej Jokanovic were named to the All-Big West first team, while Shane Aitken and Trevor Clark were honorable mention selections. Jokanovic joined Cameron Kosty on the All-Freshman Team.
PENN STATE LOWDOWN
Penn State is 22-7 overall, going 12-0 in EIVA action then going on to win the EIVA Championship with a 3-0 win over Princeton.
The Nittany Lions are the nation's top blocking squad with a 2.81 average with senior Owen Rose the country's top blocker with a 1.45 mark.
PSU's Sean Harvey ranked 17th in points per set at 4.27.
JOKANOVIC TABBED TOP FRESHMAN
True freshman Andrej Jokanovic became the third UCI player to earn Big West Freshman of the Year, joining Joel Schneidmiller in 2018 and Maxim Grigoriev in 2023. He is the sixth UCI player all-time with Carson Clark (2009), Brent Asuka (2006) and Scott Stadick (2017) also earning best newcomer in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Jokanovic's 4.16 points per set average ranks 26th in the nation and is seventh best on the West Coast. He has been a force at every phase of the game, ranking third in aces (.448), fourth in kills (3.45), seventh in digs (1.53), and 10th in hitting percentage (.282) in The Big West.
He has recorded 47 service aces, moving into a tie for ninth on the UCI single season list.
The outside hitter has racked up the awards this season, being named AVCA National Player of the Week as well as Big West Defensive on Apr. 13. He became the third UCI freshman to claim the AVCA national award (Kyle Russell, 2013 & Joel Schniedmiller, 2018) and is the 24th Anteater overall. He has been named Big West Freshman of the Week seven times this season, the most by an Anteater newcomer all-time. Jokanovic was the lone freshman on the AVCA's first Player of the Year Watch List.
MORE FAB FRESHMEN
Redshirt freshman Cameron Kosty averages 8.49 set assists per set, which is sixth best in the Big West. He has 17 aces and 55 kills on the year and is averaging 0.97 digs.
The setter has recorded at least one block assist in all but two matches he has played in and has 40 total this year.
Freshman outside hitter Andreas Brinck has come on strong at the end of the season, recording 46 of his 62 kills over the last six matches, including a career-high 13 kills versus CSUN in the first round. He led UCI in the semifinal match against LBSU with 10 kills.
MR. D'ARCY
Senior William D'Arcy packs a powerful punch from the opposite position, averaging 2.96 kills, which is eighth best in the Big West. He is 14th in hitting percentage with a .283 mark.
He has recorded kills in double-figures 18 times this season including a career-high 22 at BYU.
The opposite has 23 service aces and 60 total blocks.
POPPING THEM UP
Libero Shane Aitken leads the Anteaters and is second in The Big West with a 2.01 dig mark. He recorded digs in double-digits eight times this season, including a career-high 15 digs in the first meeting versus UC Santa Barbara.
MIDDLE MEN
Middle blockers Trevor Clark and Micah Goss have been impressive at the net. Clark leads The Big West in hitting percentage with a .509 mark. He is averaging 0.96 blocks which is fourth in the Big West.
Goss is averaging 1.58 kills and 0.67 blocks. He had a season-high six blocks assists in the Big West win over CSUN. He has 20 aces, including six versus Concordia.
NCAA Championship - Los Angeles Regional
May 1-2, 2026
Los Angeles, Calif. / Pauley Pavilion
No. 16 Penn State vs No. 6 UC Irvine
Friday, May 1 | 6:00 PM
Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
No. 6 UC Irvine takes on No. 16 Penn State in the NCAA regional round Friday (May 1) at 6:00 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.
The winner advances to face UCLA Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
2026 marks the first season of the 12-team format, which includes four regions of three teams.
STORYLINES
Sixth-ranked UC Irvine received an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship.
The Anteaters are 18-8 overall.
Five of UCI's losses have come in five sets and all eight setbacks against teams in the Top 9 nationally.
UCI finished in a tie for third in the Big West with a 5-5 mark.
UC Irvine is 9-4 overall in NCAA competition all-time, capturing national titles in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
The Anteaters return to the championship for the ninth time (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2024),
UCI assistant coach Michael Brinkley was a member of the Anteater team that captured the 2013 championship at Pauley Pavilion and was named to the all-tournament team. Head coach David Kniffin and Pepperdine's Rod Wilde are the only two head coaches to capture a crown in their first season at the helm with Kniffin winning in 2013 at UCLA.
The Anteaters made their last NCAA appearance in 2024, beating Penn State in the opening round, 3-0 then falling in five to No. 1 UCLA.
In UCI's first NCAA appearance in 2006, the No. 4 seeded Nittany Lions upset the No. 1 ranked Anteaters 3-2 (32-30, 30-23, 31-33, 27-30, 15-13) in a semifinal contest in University Park in the infamous lights out match. PSU's Max Holt recorded a kill to put the Nittany Lions up 14-13 in the fifth and stepped back to the service line when the arena lights, which were on a timer, went out. After a 14-minute delay, Holt would serve an ace for the match winner, 15-13.
The next year, UCI topped Penn State, 3-1 in a semifinal on the way to capturing its first national title in 2007. The Anteaters also beat the Nittany Lions, 3-1 in the semifinals on the way to the 2012 national title.
In another connection, Penn State defeated Pepperdine to win their second national championship in 2008 at UC Irvine's Bren Events Center.
All-time, UCI holds an 9-6 advantage against Penn State.
UC Irvine opened the season with 11 consecutive wins, a school record for victories to start a year.
The Anteaters are third in the Big West in kills (12.34), points (15.94) and digs (8.18).
William D'Arcy and Andrej Jokanovic were named to the All-Big West first team, while Shane Aitken and Trevor Clark were honorable mention selections. Jokanovic joined Cameron Kosty on the All-Freshman Team.
PENN STATE LOWDOWN
Penn State is 22-7 overall, going 12-0 in EIVA action then going on to win the EIVA Championship with a 3-0 win over Princeton.
The Nittany Lions are the nation's top blocking squad with a 2.81 average with senior Owen Rose the country's top blocker with a 1.45 mark.
PSU's Sean Harvey ranked 17th in points per set at 4.27.
JOKANOVIC TABBED TOP FRESHMAN
True freshman Andrej Jokanovic became the third UCI player to earn Big West Freshman of the Year, joining Joel Schneidmiller in 2018 and Maxim Grigoriev in 2023. He is the sixth UCI player all-time with Carson Clark (2009), Brent Asuka (2006) and Scott Stadick (2017) also earning best newcomer in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Jokanovic's 4.16 points per set average ranks 26th in the nation and is seventh best on the West Coast. He has been a force at every phase of the game, ranking third in aces (.448), fourth in kills (3.45), seventh in digs (1.53), and 10th in hitting percentage (.282) in The Big West.
He has recorded 47 service aces, moving into a tie for ninth on the UCI single season list.
The outside hitter has racked up the awards this season, being named AVCA National Player of the Week as well as Big West Defensive on Apr. 13. He became the third UCI freshman to claim the AVCA national award (Kyle Russell, 2013 & Joel Schniedmiller, 2018) and is the 24th Anteater overall. He has been named Big West Freshman of the Week seven times this season, the most by an Anteater newcomer all-time. Jokanovic was the lone freshman on the AVCA's first Player of the Year Watch List.
MORE FAB FRESHMEN
Redshirt freshman Cameron Kosty averages 8.49 set assists per set, which is sixth best in the Big West. He has 17 aces and 55 kills on the year and is averaging 0.97 digs.
The setter has recorded at least one block assist in all but two matches he has played in and has 40 total this year.
Freshman outside hitter Andreas Brinck has come on strong at the end of the season, recording 46 of his 62 kills over the last six matches, including a career-high 13 kills versus CSUN in the first round. He led UCI in the semifinal match against LBSU with 10 kills.
MR. D'ARCY
Senior William D'Arcy packs a powerful punch from the opposite position, averaging 2.96 kills, which is eighth best in the Big West. He is 14th in hitting percentage with a .283 mark.
He has recorded kills in double-figures 18 times this season including a career-high 22 at BYU.
The opposite has 23 service aces and 60 total blocks.
POPPING THEM UP
Libero Shane Aitken leads the Anteaters and is second in The Big West with a 2.01 dig mark. He recorded digs in double-digits eight times this season, including a career-high 15 digs in the first meeting versus UC Santa Barbara.
MIDDLE MEN
Middle blockers Trevor Clark and Micah Goss have been impressive at the net. Clark leads The Big West in hitting percentage with a .509 mark. He is averaging 0.96 blocks which is fourth in the Big West.
Goss is averaging 1.58 kills and 0.67 blocks. He had a season-high six blocks assists in the Big West win over CSUN. He has 20 aces, including six versus Concordia.
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