Young Bulgarian middle blocker Martin Pantov will continue his development overseas, after receiving a sports scholarship from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), part of NCAA Division I. The news was announced byPopov & Kalchev Recruitment Agency, which is working on the athlete's placement.

The 18-year-old volleyball player will join the 'Matadors' in the fall of 2027, and until then will remain in Bulgaria, where he will play one more season at club level.

Before taking the next step in his career, Pantov will continue to compete in Bulgaria. He is part of the Neftochimic Burgas system, where he has the opportunity to train and compete with some of the best middle blockers in the Bulgarian championship.

This transitional period will be key for his growth, as it will allow him to gain experience in men's volleyball before his departure for the USA.

Martin Pantov is a middle blocker with very good physical attributes – 197 cm height, 340 cm attack reach, and 320 cm block reach. He plays with his right hand and is developing as a modern center with potential in both phases of the game – blocking and first tempo attack.

An interesting detail about his future team is that there is already a Bulgarian presence in the 'Matadors' at the same position. Youth national team player Stiliyan Delibozov is also part of the program, which means Pantov will enter a familiar environment and will have Bulgarian competition at the center of the net.

This is a significant advantage in terms of adaptation and integration into university volleyball.

The prospect is clear – Bulgaria gains another athlete who will develop in a competitive international environment, with the potential to return to an even higher level in professional volleyball in the future.