BulgarianVolleyball playerOutside hitterLong Beach State

Aleksandar Nikolov (volleyball)

Aleksandar Nikolov is a Bulgarian professional volleyball player and outside hitter who plays for Cucine Lube Civitanova and the Bulgarian national team.

1. Personal Life and Family Background

Aleksandar Nikolov's personal history is deeply intertwined with volleyball, largely due to his family's significant professional involvement in the sport.

1.1. Early Life and Upbringing

Nikolov was born on November 30, 2003, in Tours, France. His birth in France occurred while his father, Vladimir Nikolov, was playing professionally for the local club Tours VB. This early exposure to professional volleyball environments set the stage for his future career.

1.2. Family's Volleyball Legacy

Aleksandar is one of four children of Vladimir and Maya Nikolov, both of whom had distinguished professional careers in volleyball. His father, Vladimir Nikolov, is a former Bulgarian national team player. Aleksandar's younger brother, Simeon Nikolov, is also a professional volleyball player, currently serving as a setter for the Bulgarian national team. This strong family tradition in volleyball, with both parents and a sibling being professional players, provided Aleksandar with a natural pathway and significant influence in his development as a volleyball athlete.

2. Career

Aleksandar Nikolov's volleyball career has seen a rapid progression from his early amateur days in Bulgaria to significant roles in collegiate, professional, and national team competitions. Standing at 81 in (207 cm) tall and weighing 220 lb (100 kg), he possesses a spike reach of 139 in (352 cm) and a block reach of 131 in (333 cm).

2.1. Youth and Junior Career

Nikolov made his professional league debut in Bulgaria at a remarkably young age. In the 2018-19 season, he joined VC Levski Sofia and began playing in the Bulgarian Volleyball League at just 14 years old.
He has also been a prominent figure in the Bulgarian youth and junior national teams since 2019, participating in numerous international championships:

  • In 2019, he earned a silver medal at the CEV U17 European Championship.
  • He competed in the U18 European Championship in 2020.
  • In 2021, Nikolov secured a silver medal at the FIVB U19 World Championship and finished 6th at the U21 World Championship.
  • The year 2022 saw him achieve a silver medal at the U20 European Youth Olympic Festival and a bronze medal at the U20 European Championship.
  • In 2023, he contributed to the U21 World Championship team that won a bronze medal.

2.2. College Career

In 2022, Aleksandar Nikolov moved to the United States to play collegiate volleyball for Long Beach State University. During his time with the Long Beach State Beach, he garnered significant individual recognition, including:

  • Being named the AVCA Freshman of the Year.
  • Earning MVP honors.
  • Being selected for the NCAA All-America team.
  • Being named to the All-Tournament Team at the NCAA National Championship.

Following this successful collegiate season, Nikolov made the decision to forgo further collegiate eligibility and pursue a professional career.

2.3. Professional Club Career

After his tenure at Long Beach State, Nikolov signed with Cucine Lube Civitanova, a prominent club in Italian Serie A, starting in 2022.

  • From 2018 to 2021, he played for VC Levski Sofia in Bulgaria.
  • With Cucine Lube Civitanova, he achieved a silver medal in the Italian Championship during the 2022-23 season.
A portrait of Aleksandar Nikolov.
A portrait of Aleksandar Nikolov.

2.4. Senior National Team Career

Aleksandar Nikolov officially joined the Bulgarian men's national volleyball team in 2021, making his debut in the European Championship qualifiers. He has since represented his country in major international competitions, including the 2023 Nations League.

3. Honours and Awards

Aleksandar Nikolov has amassed numerous team honors and individual awards throughout his collegiate, club, and national team career.

3.1. Team Honours

  • College
    • 2022 NCAA National Championship: Silver medal, with Long Beach State Beach.
  • Club
    • 2022-23 Italian Championship: Silver medal, with Cucine Lube Civitanova.
  • Youth National Team
    • 2019 U17 European Championship: Silver medal.
    • 2021 FIVB U19 World Championship: Silver medal.
    • 2022 U20 European Youth Olympic Festival: Silver medal.
    • 2022 U20 European Championship: Bronze medal.
    • 2023 U21 World Championship: Bronze medal.

3.2. Individual Awards

  • 2021: FIVB U19 World Championship - Best Outside Spiker.
  • 2022: AVCA - Freshman of the Year, MVP.
  • 2022: NCAA - All-America, All-Tournament Team (at the NCAA National Championship).
  • 2022: CEV U20 European Championship - Best Outside Spiker.
  • 2022: U20 European Youth Olympic Festival - Best Server.
  • 2023: U21 World Championship - Best Scorer, Best Server.