Photo by: Chuck Marvel
Constable Named Preseason All-Big West; CSUN Picked Fifth in Coaches' Poll
12/18/2024 11:34:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preview Show
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Senior setter Donovan Constable was named to the Preseason Coaches' Team, and the CSUN men's volleyball team was picked to finish fifth as the 2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and preseason awards were announced Thursday, Dec. 19.
Constable earned a nod to the preseason team for the first time, joining Geste Bianchi of UC Santa Barbara, Anthony Cherfan of UC San Diego, Tread Rosenthal of Hawai'i, Hilir Henno and Maxim Grigoriev of UC Irvine, and Moni Nikolov, Sotiris Siapanis, and Skylar Varga of Long Beach State on the Preseason Coaches Team.
Constable, a first-team All-Big West selection and honorable mention AVCA All-American in 2024, posted a career-high 1,077 assists as a junior while also surpassing his previous season-bests in nearly every statistical category. He ranked second on the Matadors with 39 aces while also recording 65 total blocks, 139 digs, and 63 kills. A Big West All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, Constable earned a pair of Big West Player of the Week honors in 2024 while also earning All-Tournament Team accolades at the season-opening UCSB ASICS Invitational last January.
In the Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll, the Matadors received eight points from the conference's head coaches and were predicted to finish fifth. Defending champion and national runners-up Long Beach State earned the top spot in the poll, picking up four first-place votes and 24 total points in the voting. UC Irvine earned the other two first-place votes and 21 total points for second with Hawai'i earning 18 points for third. The trio of UC Santa Barbara (12 points), the Matadors (8), and UC San Diego (8) round out the polling in the vote by the league's six head coaches.
"Looking at last season, the top five teams in the Big West we're all inside the top 15 in the national poll and this season will be similar, I view it as a challenge and an opportunity," said head coach Theo Edwards. "We're excited about how competitive the Big West is and the guys are looking forward to embracing the challenge of proving that we're better than the preseason poll indicates."
As they've done 20 times in the last 21 seasons, the Matadors open the season at the annual UCSB Invitational at Robertson Gym. CSUN will meet Tusculum, Missouri S&T, and Menlo over the three-day tournament which runs from Jan. 9-11.
In addition to Constable, 2024Â All-Big West selection Jalen Phillips returns to lead the Matadors who finished the season ranked 14th in the final AVCA/NVA Top 20 Poll. Phillips, an honorable mention All-Big West and All-Freshman Team selection in addition to being named Freshman All-American by Off the Block, averaged 3.27 kills per set on .293 hitting as a redshirt freshman last season.
2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
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() - First place votes
#GoMatadors
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Senior setter Donovan Constable was named to the Preseason Coaches' Team, and the CSUN men's volleyball team was picked to finish fifth as the 2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll and preseason awards were announced Thursday, Dec. 19.
Constable earned a nod to the preseason team for the first time, joining Geste Bianchi of UC Santa Barbara, Anthony Cherfan of UC San Diego, Tread Rosenthal of Hawai'i, Hilir Henno and Maxim Grigoriev of UC Irvine, and Moni Nikolov, Sotiris Siapanis, and Skylar Varga of Long Beach State on the Preseason Coaches Team.
Constable, a first-team All-Big West selection and honorable mention AVCA All-American in 2024, posted a career-high 1,077 assists as a junior while also surpassing his previous season-bests in nearly every statistical category. He ranked second on the Matadors with 39 aces while also recording 65 total blocks, 139 digs, and 63 kills. A Big West All-Freshman Team selection in 2022, Constable earned a pair of Big West Player of the Week honors in 2024 while also earning All-Tournament Team accolades at the season-opening UCSB ASICS Invitational last January.
In the Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll, the Matadors received eight points from the conference's head coaches and were predicted to finish fifth. Defending champion and national runners-up Long Beach State earned the top spot in the poll, picking up four first-place votes and 24 total points in the voting. UC Irvine earned the other two first-place votes and 21 total points for second with Hawai'i earning 18 points for third. The trio of UC Santa Barbara (12 points), the Matadors (8), and UC San Diego (8) round out the polling in the vote by the league's six head coaches.
"Looking at last season, the top five teams in the Big West we're all inside the top 15 in the national poll and this season will be similar, I view it as a challenge and an opportunity," said head coach Theo Edwards. "We're excited about how competitive the Big West is and the guys are looking forward to embracing the challenge of proving that we're better than the preseason poll indicates."
As they've done 20 times in the last 21 seasons, the Matadors open the season at the annual UCSB Invitational at Robertson Gym. CSUN will meet Tusculum, Missouri S&T, and Menlo over the three-day tournament which runs from Jan. 9-11.
In addition to Constable, 2024Â All-Big West selection Jalen Phillips returns to lead the Matadors who finished the season ranked 14th in the final AVCA/NVA Top 20 Poll. Phillips, an honorable mention All-Big West and All-Freshman Team selection in addition to being named Freshman All-American by Off the Block, averaged 3.27 kills per set on .293 hitting as a redshirt freshman last season.
Other key returners for CSUN in 2024 include seniors Lorenzo Bertozzi and Jackson Payne, and junior Malcolm King. The Matadors also welcome a talented group of newcomers in 2025.
The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Men's Volleyball Championship at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of Hawai'i from April 24-26. All six conference members will vie for The Big West's automatic berth into the national postseason bracket.Â2025 Big West Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
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| 1. | Long Beach State (4) | 24 pts |
| 2. | UC Irvine (2) | 21 pts |
| 3. | Hawai'i | 18 pts |
| 4. | UC Santa Barbara | 12 pts |
| 5. | CSUN | 8 pts |
| 6. | UC San Diego | 7 pts |
() - First place votes
#GoMatadors
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