UC Santa Barbara Volleyball Faces Cal Lutheran and Hawai’i in Key Week

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The No. 8 UC Santa Barbara Men’s Volleyball team (8-6) returns to action this week, hosting Cal Lutheran on Tuesday before traveling to Hawai’i for a pair of matches on Friday and Saturday.

Gauchos Upset Anteaters, Climb Rankings

UC Santa Barbara recently upset No. 4 UC Irvine 3-2, marking their first victory over the Anteaters since 2022. This win propelled the Gauchos to No. 8 in the national rankings. UCSB Gauchos

Player Recognition

Joe Wallace was named The Big West Defensive Player of the Week after recording 15 total digs and averaging three per set. George Bruening led the offensive effort with 20 kills and four per set. UCSB Gauchos

Scouting Cal Lutheran

Cal Lutheran enters the week with a 19-5 record and is ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball. Brendan Hom leads the Kingsmen with 3.34 kills per set, while Braden Gonzales contributes 2.83 digs per set. UCSB Gauchos

Series History with Cal Lutheran

UC Santa Barbara holds a 5-0 all-time record against Cal Lutheran, including a 3-1 victory on February 5, 2026. UCSB Gauchos

Hawai’i’s Recent Success

No. 3 Hawai’i recently achieved a significant upset, defeating No. 2 Long Beach State twice in a row – 3-2 and 3-0. This sweep of the Beach was Hawai’i’s first since 2015 and puts pressure on Long Beach State’s No. 2 ranking. UCSB Gauchos

Rainbow Warrior Standouts

Hawai’i setter Tread Rosenthal has been named The Big West Setter of the Week seven times this season, and Kainoa Wade earned AVCA National Player of the Week honors on February 2. UCSB Gauchos

Match Schedule and Viewing Information

UC Santa Barbara will host Cal Lutheran in The Thunderdome on March 24 at 7:00 p.m. PT. The Gauchos will then face Hawai’i on March 27 and March 28 at 10:00 p.m. PT. All matches will be streamed on ESPN+, and live stats will be available at ucsbgauchos.com.