IRVINE, Calif. – The Big West Conference released its 2026 Men's Volleyball All-Conference Preseason Team on Monday, with UC Santa Barbara's George Bruening earning preseason honors. Bruening was named to the team alongside players from No. 2 Hawai'i, No. 3 Long Beach State, and No. 11 CSUN.
Bruening exited the 2025 season with a spot on the All-Freshman team as well as a First Team Honorable Mention. He was also recognized as the SBART Men's Volleyball Athlete of the Year. He averaged 2.97 kills per set and hit .299, the highest on the team.
Additionally, UC Santa Barbara was voted to finish fourth in the conference. Their first match of 2026 will take place on Jan. 8 at 2:00 p.m. versus Kentucky State in Rob Gym.
The Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank / Institution |
Points (First Place Votes) |
| 1. Long Beach State |
24 (4) |
| 2. Hawai'i |
22 (2) |
| 3. UC Irvine |
17 |
| T-4. CSUN |
9 |
| T-4. UC San Diego |
9 |
| T-4. UC Santa Barbara |
9 |
The Big West Preseason Coaches' Team
| Student-Athlete |
Institution |
Position |
Year |
Hometown |
| George Bruening |
UC Santa Barbara |
OH |
R-So. |
Newport Beach, Calif. |
| Alex Kandev |
Long Beach State |
OH |
So. |
Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Jalen Phillips |
CSUN |
OPP |
R.-Jr. |
Anaheim, Calif. |
| Tread Rosenthal |
Hawai'i |
S |
Jr. |
Austin, Texas |
| Adrien Roure |
Hawai'i |
OH |
So. |
Lyon, France |
| Kristian Titriyski |
Hawai'i |
OPP |
So. |
Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Skyler Varga |
Long Beach State |
OPP |
R.-Sr. |
Muenster, Saskatchewan |
