IRVINE, Calif. – George Bruening and Cole Schobel have earned All-Big West honors after leading UC Santa Barbara Men's Volleyball throughout the 2026 season, while Riggs Guy was named an All-Big West Honorable Mention selection, the conference announced Wednesday.
Bruening secured All-Big West First Team honors after emerging as the Gauchos' top offensive threat throughout the season. The outside hitter led UC Santa Barbara with 306 kills, averaging 3.73 kills per set to rank No. 16 nationally. He also paced the Gauchos with 4.30 points per set, ranking No. 14 in the country, while adding 60 blocks and 97 digs. Bruening powered the Gaucho offense throughout the season, recording double-digit kills in 16 matches and posting five performances with 20 or more kills.
Schobel earned All-Big West First Team honors after directing the Gaucho offense all season long. The setter totaled 790 assists and averaged 9.08 assists per set, ranking No. 30 nationally. Schobel also led the team defensively with 139 digs while contributing 80 kills, 33 service aces and 33 blocks. Schobel proved to be one of the conference's most complete setters, contributing across every phase of the game while ranking among the nation's top 30 in assists per set. Schobel also stunned on offense, hitting .391 with 84 kills.
Guy received All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition after serving as one of the Gauchos' most versatile players this season. The outside hitter finished second on the team with 216 kills, averaging 2.60 per set, while posting a team-best 96.7 reception percentage across 514 attempts. He also added 128 digs, 19 service aces and 33 assists. Guy played a key role all season, reaching double-digit kills in 10 matches while serving as one of the Gauchos' strongest defensive players.
POSTSEASON
The No. 9 UC Santa Barbara Men's Volleyball team opens postseason play this Thursday as the No. 4 seed in the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men's Volleyball Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands. The Gauchos will face No. 5 seed UC San Diego at 5 p.m. inside the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine, with the winner advancing to Friday's semifinal against top-seeded Hawai'i.
ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT
The 2026 Outrigger Big West Men's Volleyball Championship features all six conference teams and will be hosted by UC Irvine for just the second time in tournament history. First-round action begins Thursday, April 23, with the winners advancing to Friday's semifinals. The championship match is set for Saturday, April 25.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
UC Santa Barbara enters the postseason after earning a 3-2 road win over UC San Diego in the regular-season finale, securing the No. 4 seed in the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men's Volleyball Championship. After dropping the opening set, the Gauchos rallied to win the next two before ultimately closing out the match in the fifth, 15-9.
George Bruening led the offense with 16 kills, while Ethan Saint and Riggs Guy added 15 and 14, respectively. Guy also tallied a match-high four service aces, and Cole Schobel recorded 10 digs in the victory.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UC San Diego enters the conference tournament with a 12-13 overall record and a 3-7 mark in Big West play after finishing fifth in the standings. Thursday's matchup will be a quick rematch, as the Tritons pushed the Gauchos to five sets in the regular-season finale. Six of the last nine meetings between the two teams have gone the distance.
The Tritons are led by senior setter Cameron Wurl, who recorded a career-high 45 assists against UC Santa Barbara last week. Luke Chandler and Leo Pravednikov each secured 11 kills in that match, while middle blockers Jim Garrison and Peter Selcho combined for 10 blocks.
FOLLOW ALONG
Thursday's first-round match between UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego is scheduled for 5 p.m. on April 23 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available. The winner will advance to face No. 1 seed Hawai'i in the semifinal round on Friday at 5 p.m.
