Photo by: Regents of the University of California
UC Irvine Battles Ball State In NCAA Semifinal Saturday
May 08, 2026 | Men's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
NCAA Championship
May 9, 2026
Los Angeles, Calif. / Pauley Pavilion
Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine faces fourth-seeded Ball State in an NCAA semifinal Saturday (May 9) at 3:30 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.
The winner advances to the NCAA Championship match Monday (May 11) at Pauley Pavilion against the winner of the Hawaii/Long Beach State semifinal at 4:00 p.m.
STORYLINES
UC Irvine is 11-4 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), advancing to the semifinals for the eighth time in program history.
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 Pauley Pavilion.
UCI assistant coach Michael Brinkley was a member of the Anteater team that captured the 2013 championship at UCLA and was named to the all-tournament team.
Sixth-ranked UC Irvine received an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship.
The Anteaters are 20-8 overall after 3-2 victories over No.16 Penn State and No. 1 UCLA in the Los Angeles Regional last week.
UCI has played 11 five-set matches this season, going 6-5.
Five of UCI's eight losses have come in five sets and all eight setbacks against teams in the Top 8 nationally.
UCI finished in a tie for third in the Big West with a 5-5 mark.
UC Irvine opened the season with 11 consecutive wins, a school record for victories to start a year.
It is the 13th time in program history the Anteaters have logged 20 wins or more and third year in a row.
BALL STATE BULLETS
UCI leads the series 7-4 all-time.
UCI swept the last meeting between the teams on Jan. 7, 2019 (20-25, 20-25, 22-25) in Muncie, Ind.
This will be the first meeting with the Cardinals in the post-season.
Ball State has made 17 NCAA appearances, competing in the championship for the second time since 2002. BSU made it to the national semifinal in 2022, falling to Hawai'i 3-2 in Pauley Pavilion.
The Cardinals were the 2026 MIVA Regular Season and Tournament Champions sweeping Loyola Chicago (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) on the strength of a .477 hitting percentage to capture the Championship.
Ball State is 26-4 overall, winning five in a row. The Cardinals have only dropped decisions to UCLA (1-3), Ohio State (0-3), Loyola (0-3) and Lewis (2-3).
In an eerily similar regional championship scenario, BSU trailed Pepperdine 14-12 in the fifth set before winning 16-14 on Patrick Rogers' walk-off ace.
Rogers is a semifinalist for the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men's Player of the Year, ranking sixth in the NCAA in kills per set (3.94), third in points per set (4.72), seventh in hitting (.405) and 14th in aces per set (.47).
Rogers was a first-team AVCA All-American, while Lucas Machado was named to the second team and Ryan Louis, Will Basilio and Braydon Savitski-Lynde were selected as honorable mentions.
JOKANOVIC TABBED TOP FRESHMAN
True freshman Andrej Jokanovic became the second UCI player to be honored as AVCA Newcomer of the Year, joining Brent Asuka in 2006. He was 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 ranks fifth in kills (3.37) and aces (0.43), sixth in points (4.07), seventh in digs (1.53) and 14th in hitting percentage (.279) in the Big West.
He has recorded 49 service aces, moving into a tie for seventh on the UCI single season list with fellow Frenchman Hilir Henno.
The outside hitter has racked up the awards this season, being named AVCA National Player of the Week as well as Big West Defensive Player of the Week 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.
LAST WEEK REWIND
UCI had a season-high 13 blocks and hit .390 in the first round win over the Nittany Lions. Four Anteaters had double-digit kills, led by senior William D'Arcy with 13. He also had a career-tying five block assists. UCI middle blockers Micah Goss and Trevor Clark had 10 kills apiece and committed just one error each. Goss hit .692 with five block assists, while Clark hit at .562 clip and five block assists. Setter Cameron Kosty had a gritty performance, logging 43 set assists and six digs to go with a career-high five aces after suffering a bloody nose in the fifth set. The Anteaters trailed 3-6 in the fifth before the injury delay. After UCI had a kill by Clark and two blocks, the last a triple rejection by Brinck, Goss and D'Arcy tied the set at 6-6. Clark then Goss put down kills from the middle for the 15-13 victory.
Versus the Bruins, a dramatic reversal of a touch call on UCLA match point led to an epic Anteater rally and 16-14 victory in the fifth. Two of the final four points came from Bruins attack errors and two on kills by freshman Andreas Brinck who ended with a team and career-high 17 kills. He hit .483 (17-3-29) and recorded a career-high seven digs. Kosty had a team and career-high six total blocks (one solo) to go with 47 set assists, six digs, three kills and an ace.
FIRST TEAM LIBERO
Redshirt sophomore Shane Aitken becomes the third Anteater libero to be named to the first team, joining assistant coach Michael Brinkley (2013-15) and Asuka (2006).
Aitken is second in the Big West with a 1.97 dig average. The elite passer has recorded double-digit digs eight times, including a career-high 15 versus UC Santa Barbara which is tied for second most by a Big West player this season. He earned honorable mention All-Big West in 2026 and honorable mention All-America status in 2025.
MR. D'ARCY
Senior William D'Arcy packs a powerful punch from the opposite position, ranking ninth in kills (2.86), 10th in points (3.37) and 13th in hitting percentage (.280) among Big West players.
The opposite has recorded kills in double-figures 19 times this season, including a career-high 22 at BYU.
D'Arcy earned his second honorable mention nod. He was a first team All-Big West selection and two-time Big West Offensive Player of the Week choice in 2026.
MEN IN THE MIDDLE
Middle blockers Trevor Clark and Micah Goss have been impressive at the net.
Clark leads the Big West and is second in the nation in hitting percentage with a .501 mark, hitting over .600 nine times this season. The junior is averaging 0.93 blocks per set, which is fifth best in the Big West. He rejected at least one attempt in every match he played in and recorded a career-high seven total blocks twice this season. He is averaging 2.00 kills with eight double-digit kill performances, including a career-best 14 kills in the NCAA Regional final against UCLA. He was an All-Big West honorable mention choice and named Big West Defensive Player of the Week Jan. 26.
Goss earned his second honorable mention recognition after averaging 1.57 kills and 0.68 blocks. He also owns a .353 hitting percentage, recording a season-high .778 (7-0-9) versus Princeton. He put down a career-high 14 kills against USC and had a season-high six block assists against CSUN. The sophomore fired a career-high six aces against Concordia, which was tied for fifth most by a Big West player this season.
MOXIE MODE
Redshirt freshman Cameron Kosty was named honorable mention All-America and to the Big West All-Freshman team after averaging 8.54 set assists and 0.99 digs plus totaling 63 kills, 23 aces and 50 blocks on the year. Kosty totaled a career-high 54 set assists versus Hawaii, which is the third most by a Big West player this season.
The two-time Big West Setter of the Week guided the Anteaters to a hitting percentage of .376 or better seven times and .400 or better on three occasions.
He had a career-high five aces against Penn State.
ON THE BRINCK
Freshman outside hitter Andreas Brinck has come on strong at the end of the season, recording 40 of his 84 kills over the last three matches, including a career-high 17 kills in the win over UCLA. He also led the Anteaters in the Big West semifinal match against LBSU with 10 kills.
On the season, Brinck is averaging 1.27 kills and 0.71 digs over 66 sets.
NCAA Championship
May 9, 2026
Los Angeles, Calif. / Pauley Pavilion
Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine faces fourth-seeded Ball State in an NCAA semifinal Saturday (May 9) at 3:30 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.
The winner advances to the NCAA Championship match Monday (May 11) at Pauley Pavilion against the winner of the Hawaii/Long Beach State semifinal at 4:00 p.m.
STORYLINES
UC Irvine is 11-4 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), advancing to the semifinals for the eighth time in program history.
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 Pauley Pavilion.
UCI assistant coach Michael Brinkley was a member of the Anteater team that captured the 2013 championship at UCLA and was named to the all-tournament team.
Sixth-ranked UC Irvine received an at-large bid into the NCAA Championship.
The Anteaters are 20-8 overall after 3-2 victories over No.16 Penn State and No. 1 UCLA in the Los Angeles Regional last week.
UCI has played 11 five-set matches this season, going 6-5.
Five of UCI's eight losses have come in five sets and all eight setbacks against teams in the Top 8 nationally.
UCI finished in a tie for third in the Big West with a 5-5 mark.
UC Irvine opened the season with 11 consecutive wins, a school record for victories to start a year.
It is the 13th time in program history the Anteaters have logged 20 wins or more and third year in a row.
BALL STATE BULLETS
UCI leads the series 7-4 all-time.
UCI swept the last meeting between the teams on Jan. 7, 2019 (20-25, 20-25, 22-25) in Muncie, Ind.
This will be the first meeting with the Cardinals in the post-season.
Ball State has made 17 NCAA appearances, competing in the championship for the second time since 2002. BSU made it to the national semifinal in 2022, falling to Hawai'i 3-2 in Pauley Pavilion.
The Cardinals were the 2026 MIVA Regular Season and Tournament Champions sweeping Loyola Chicago (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) on the strength of a .477 hitting percentage to capture the Championship.
Ball State is 26-4 overall, winning five in a row. The Cardinals have only dropped decisions to UCLA (1-3), Ohio State (0-3), Loyola (0-3) and Lewis (2-3).
In an eerily similar regional championship scenario, BSU trailed Pepperdine 14-12 in the fifth set before winning 16-14 on Patrick Rogers' walk-off ace.
Rogers is a semifinalist for the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men's Player of the Year, ranking sixth in the NCAA in kills per set (3.94), third in points per set (4.72), seventh in hitting (.405) and 14th in aces per set (.47).
Rogers was a first-team AVCA All-American, while Lucas Machado was named to the second team and Ryan Louis, Will Basilio and Braydon Savitski-Lynde were selected as honorable mentions.
JOKANOVIC TABBED TOP FRESHMAN
True freshman Andrej Jokanovic became the second UCI player to be honored as AVCA Newcomer of the Year, joining Brent Asuka in 2006. He was 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 ranks fifth in kills (3.37) and aces (0.43), sixth in points (4.07), seventh in digs (1.53) and 14th in hitting percentage (.279) in the Big West.
He has recorded 49 service aces, moving into a tie for seventh on the UCI single season list with fellow Frenchman Hilir Henno.
The outside hitter has racked up the awards this season, being named AVCA National Player of the Week as well as Big West Defensive Player of the Week 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.
LAST WEEK REWIND
UCI had a season-high 13 blocks and hit .390 in the first round win over the Nittany Lions. Four Anteaters had double-digit kills, led by senior William D'Arcy with 13. He also had a career-tying five block assists. UCI middle blockers Micah Goss and Trevor Clark had 10 kills apiece and committed just one error each. Goss hit .692 with five block assists, while Clark hit at .562 clip and five block assists. Setter Cameron Kosty had a gritty performance, logging 43 set assists and six digs to go with a career-high five aces after suffering a bloody nose in the fifth set. The Anteaters trailed 3-6 in the fifth before the injury delay. After UCI had a kill by Clark and two blocks, the last a triple rejection by Brinck, Goss and D'Arcy tied the set at 6-6. Clark then Goss put down kills from the middle for the 15-13 victory.
Versus the Bruins, a dramatic reversal of a touch call on UCLA match point led to an epic Anteater rally and 16-14 victory in the fifth. Two of the final four points came from Bruins attack errors and two on kills by freshman Andreas Brinck who ended with a team and career-high 17 kills. He hit .483 (17-3-29) and recorded a career-high seven digs. Kosty had a team and career-high six total blocks (one solo) to go with 47 set assists, six digs, three kills and an ace.
FIRST TEAM LIBERO
Redshirt sophomore Shane Aitken becomes the third Anteater libero to be named to the first team, joining assistant coach Michael Brinkley (2013-15) and Asuka (2006).
Aitken is second in the Big West with a 1.97 dig average. The elite passer has recorded double-digit digs eight times, including a career-high 15 versus UC Santa Barbara which is tied for second most by a Big West player this season. He earned honorable mention All-Big West in 2026 and honorable mention All-America status in 2025.
MR. D'ARCY
Senior William D'Arcy packs a powerful punch from the opposite position, ranking ninth in kills (2.86), 10th in points (3.37) and 13th in hitting percentage (.280) among Big West players.
The opposite has recorded kills in double-figures 19 times this season, including a career-high 22 at BYU.
D'Arcy earned his second honorable mention nod. He was a first team All-Big West selection and two-time Big West Offensive Player of the Week choice in 2026.
MEN IN THE MIDDLE
Middle blockers Trevor Clark and Micah Goss have been impressive at the net.
Clark leads the Big West and is second in the nation in hitting percentage with a .501 mark, hitting over .600 nine times this season. The junior is averaging 0.93 blocks per set, which is fifth best in the Big West. He rejected at least one attempt in every match he played in and recorded a career-high seven total blocks twice this season. He is averaging 2.00 kills with eight double-digit kill performances, including a career-best 14 kills in the NCAA Regional final against UCLA. He was an All-Big West honorable mention choice and named Big West Defensive Player of the Week Jan. 26.
Goss earned his second honorable mention recognition after averaging 1.57 kills and 0.68 blocks. He also owns a .353 hitting percentage, recording a season-high .778 (7-0-9) versus Princeton. He put down a career-high 14 kills against USC and had a season-high six block assists against CSUN. The sophomore fired a career-high six aces against Concordia, which was tied for fifth most by a Big West player this season.
MOXIE MODE
Redshirt freshman Cameron Kosty was named honorable mention All-America and to the Big West All-Freshman team after averaging 8.54 set assists and 0.99 digs plus totaling 63 kills, 23 aces and 50 blocks on the year. Kosty totaled a career-high 54 set assists versus Hawaii, which is the third most by a Big West player this season.
The two-time Big West Setter of the Week guided the Anteaters to a hitting percentage of .376 or better seven times and .400 or better on three occasions.
He had a career-high five aces against Penn State.
ON THE BRINCK
Freshman outside hitter Andreas Brinck has come on strong at the end of the season, recording 40 of his 84 kills over the last three matches, including a career-high 17 kills in the win over UCLA. He also led the Anteaters in the Big West semifinal match against LBSU with 10 kills.
On the season, Brinck is averaging 1.27 kills and 0.71 digs over 66 sets.
Players Mentioned
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