Long Beach State Beach men's volleyball

The Long Beach State Beach men's volleyball team is the NCAA Division I men's volleyball team for the Long Beach State University. Alan Knipe is the current head coach of 18 years, though he's been with the program since 2001.

Long Beach State Beach
University	Long Beach State University
Head coach	Alan Knipe (18th season)
Conference	Big West
Location	Long Beach, California
Home arena	Walter Pyramid, 2019 (capacity: 5,000)
Nickname	LB 49ers
Colors	Black and gold^[1]
NCAA Tournament champion
1991, 2018, 2019
NCAA Tournament runner-up
1970, 1973, 1990, 1999, 2004, 2022
NCAA Tournament semifinal
1970, 1973, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
NCAA Tournament appearance
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
Conference tournament champion
1973, 1990, 1991, 2017, 2018
Conference regular season champion
SCIVA: 1973 WIVA: 1990, 1992 MPSF: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2017 Big West: 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023

Program record and history

Year	Head Coach	Overall record	Conference record	Conference standing	Postseason
(SCIVA) (1970–1978)
1970	Randy Sandefur	6–4	3–2	3rd	NCAA Runners-up
1971	Randy Sandefur	5–4	2–3	4th	NCAA Regionals
1972	Randy Sandefur	6–8	2–4	5th	NCAA Regionals
1973	Randy Sandefur	15–3	9–2	1st	NCAA Runners-up
1974	Randy Sandefur	3–10	3–10	6th
1975	Miles Pabst	2–10	2–10	6th
1976	Miles Pabst	5–7	5–7	5th
1977	Dick Montgomery	4–10	4–10	6th
1978	Dick Montgomery	13–6	9–5	4th	NCAA Regionals
(CIVA) (1979–1985)
1979	Dick Montgomery	14–9	9–9	6th
1980	Dick Montgomery	21–7	13–5	4th
1981	Don Paris	15–13	9–7	4th	NCAA Regionals
1982	Ray Ratelle	15–15	4–12	7th	NCAA Regionals
1983	Ray Ratelle	20–9	11–5	2nd	NCAA Regionals
1984	Ray Ratelle	15–10	10–8	5th	NCAA Regionals
1985	Ray Ratelle	14–19	3–15	9th
(WIVA) (1986–1992)
1986	Ray Ratelle	19–15	7–13	7th
1987	Ray Ratelle	18–15	5–13	7th
1988	Ray Ratelle	20–14	8–10	6th
1989	Ray Ratelle	22–9	12–8	6th
1990	Ray Ratelle	28–7	14–2	1st	NCAA Runners-up
1991	Ray Ratelle	31–4	14–2	2nd	NCAA Champions
1992	Ray Ratelle	27–4	15–1	1st
(Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) (1993–2017)
1993	Ray Ratelle	18–13	12–7	2nd
1994	Ray Ratelle	13–15	7–12	5th
1995	Ray Ratelle	18–9	12–7	3rd
1996	Ray Ratelle	21–6	15–4	2nd
1997	Ray Ratelle	19–10	12–7	2nd
1998	Ray Ratelle	22–7	13–6	2nd
1999	Ray Ratelle	22–4	17–2	1st
1999	Ray Ratelle	22–4	17–2	1st	NCAA Runner-Up
2000	Ray Ratelle	23–5	16–3	1st
2001	Alan Knipe	18–7	12–5	1st
2002	Alan Knipe	13–18	9–13	7th
2003	Alan Knipe	17–13	11–11	8th
2004	Alan Knipe	28–7	18–4	2nd	NCAA Runner-up
2005	Alan Knipe	22–10	14–8	5th
2006	Alan Knipe	22–10	14–8	4th
2007	Alan Knipe	11–17	6–16	10th
2008	Alan Knipe	23–7	18–4	1st	NCAA Final Four
2009	Alan Knipe	14–14	11–11	7th
2010	Andy Read ✝	12–17	8–14	10th
2011	Andy Read ✝	15–14	12–10	6th
2012	Andy Read ✝	15–15	10–12	6th
2013	Alan Knipe	24–8	18–6	T-2nd
2014	Alan Knipe	18–10	15–9	T-4th
2015	Alan Knipe	15–13	11–11	7th
2016	Alan Knipe	25–8	17–5	T-2nd	NCAA Final Four
2017	Alan Knipe	24–7	16–2	1st	NCAA Final Four
(Big West Conference) (2018–present)
2018	Alan Knipe	28–1	9–1	1st	NCAA Champions
2019	Alan Knipe	28–2	10–0	1st	NCAA Champions
2020	Alan Knipe	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Alan Knipe	7-5	6-4	3rd
2022	Alan Knipe	21-6	8-2	1st	NCAA Runner-Up
2023	Alan Knipe	20-4	9-1	T-1st
Total:		844–472
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

Team facts

Head coach

• 1970–1974: Randy Sandefur
• 1975–1976: Miles Pabst
• 1977–1980: Dick Montgomery
• 1981: Don Paris
• 1982–2000: Ray Ratelle

Ray Ratelle was the Head Coach for 19 seasons with an overall win–loss record of 385-190 (.670) and conference record of 207-137 (.602), with 3 Conference titles and 3 NCAA appearances. 1990 NCAA Finalist and in his tenth year, won the first ever Men's NCAA Championship team title of any sport in Long Beach State's history of athletics. Ratelle was also named Coach of the Year in both 1990 and 1991.

• 2001–present: Alan Knipe

Alan Knipe's win–loss record presently stands at 334-149 (.692 percentage). He has been to the final four a total of eight times: twice as a player (1990, 1991) and six as a coach (2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). He was a member of Long Beach's—1991--NCAA Men's VB National Championship Team; coming up a game short in coaching the 2004 team to NCAA Runners-up, he coached the 49ers to its second and third NCAAchampionships in 2018 and 2019. He was the head coach of the U.S. National Team, until 2012, and he returned to LBSU upon completing his service.

Under him, Scott Touzinsky was a Long Beach State assistant coach.^[2] Touzinsky was suspended by USA Volleyball in July 2018 because of a pending investigations by the United States Center for SafeSport.^[3][2][4] Since the NCAA doesn’t fall under SafeSport jurisdiction, Touzinsky wasn’t prohibited from coaching in college.^[2][5] The complaint against Touzinsky related to when Touzinsky was a player on the USA National Team.^[2] Touzinsky left the program in April 2019 after it was revealed he was sanctioned by the SafeSport following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.^[6]

Conference

• 1970–1978: SCIVA
  • Overall Record (incomplete): 50–56
• 1979–1985: CIVA
  • Overall Record: 114–82
• 1986–1992: WIVA
  • Overall Record: 165–68
• 1993–2017: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)
  • Overall Record: @Good, ~79.5%
• 2018–present: Big West Conference
  • Overall Record: 19-1

Home court

The volleyball team played in the Goldmine gymnasium at CSULB until 1994. Since November 30, 1994, the team has played at the Walter Pyramid. The 18-story tall complex has played host twice to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championships (2001, 2003). Its infrastructure utilizes 18,000 steel tubes and connection modules. It cost approximately $22 million to build.

National championships

• 1991: NCAA by defeating USC

With an overall record of 31 wins and just 4 losses, the 1991 NCAA Men's Volleyball Champions swept three out of their five post-season opponents. In the WIVA Tournament (Irvine, CA) the 49ers beat UCSB and SDSU 3–0 before overcoming county/national nemesis, the UCLA Bruins 3–2. From there it was on to Hawaii for the '91 Final Four. 'the Beach' said aloha to Penn State in a clean sweep 3–0; they then needed an extra game winning 3–1 over longtime rival USC for their first national championship to date.

1991's team included these mentionable leaders: Alan Knipe, Brent Hilliard (NCAA Final Four MVP), Brett Winslow, Matt Lyles, Zach Small, Jason Stimpfig and Ray Ratelle (Asics/VB Mag. & AVCA C.O.Y.). No other 'BEACH' Men's VB Team has ever won as many games as this singular team; they were a combined 89% in their win-lost ratio.

• 2018: Won second NCAA title by defeating UCLA 3-2 (at Westwood, Los Angeles). They defeated Ohio State University (defending national champions) 3–1 in the semi-finals.

With co-Valuables Josh Tunaniga, JR-Setter AND TJ DeFalco, JR-Outside Hitter, eight thousand in the stands were treated to a thrilling five-setter match (in overtime) favoring the men of south L.A. county.

• 2019: Won third NCAA title by defeating Hawaii 3-1 (at Long Beach). LB defeated Pepperdine University 3–1 in the semi-finals. Back to back national championships for the first time in school history.

Notable players

• Taylor Crabb – 2013 AVCA P.O.Y.; AVCA 2013 & 2014 1st Team All-American, 2012 Volleyball Magazine 3rd Team All-American
• Bob Ctvrtlik – Asics/VB Mag. honorable mention All-American (1983), First U.S. Olympic Team Member/49er who won Olympic Medals in men's volleyball (1988, gold; 1992, bronze)
• Torey Defalco – a.k.a. The Brethren, T.J. DeFalco; 2017 and 2019 AVCA Player of the Year. Four-time AVCA First Team All-American
• Tyler Hildebrand – 4 yr starter who simultaneously doubled as the U.S. National Team's setter (2003–2012), three-time AVCA—and Asics/VB Mag.--1st Team All-American (2004–2006), all 3rd team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team. Current Associate Coach (2013–present).
• Tim Hill – two-time all SCIVA Conference Player, AVP Hall of Famer
• Brent Hilliard – four-time All-American (1990 Asics/VB Mag. Freshman; AVCA 1st Team: 1991, 1992; AVCA 2nd Team: 1993; Asics/VB Mag. 1st Team: 1991–'93), 1992 AVCA National Player of the Year, MVP of 1991 Final Finals, all 1st team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team, U.S. Olympic Team Member (1992, Bronze Medalist). Hilliard's #7 jersey is retired hanging in LBSU's Pyramid.
• Tom Hoff – two-time AVCA—and Asics/VB Mag.--1st Team All-American (1995, 1996), U.S. Olympic Team Member (2000; 2004; 2008, gold medalist), all 2nd Team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team, Collegiate triple-doubles leader (K-B-D)
• Mark Kerins – Asics/VB Mag. 1st Team All-American (1990), Asics/VB Mag. 2nd Team All-American (1989), AVP Beach Pro (1993–2000), Senior captain of the most superior 49er men's team assembled in LBSU history.
• Alan Knipe – two-time AVCA—and Asics/VB Mag.--All-American (1991, 2nd team; 1992, 1st team), 2004 AVCA Coach of the Year (LBSU Men's VB), U.S. National Team Coach (2009–2012), 2017 MPSF C.O.Y.
• David Lee – 2004 AVCA 1st Team All-American, 2008 Olympic gold medalist.
• Paul Lotman – 2008 AVCA 1st Team All-American & National Player of the Year
• David McKenzie – three-time All-American (AVCA 2nd Team: 1999, AVCA 1st Team: 2000, 2001 & Asics/VB Mag. 2nd Team: 1999, Asics/VB Mag. 3rd Team: 2000), holds the NCAA record for kills in a game (58/106 attempts), all 3rd team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team, sibling to Joy Fuerbringer (class of 1993, NCAA National Women's VB Champion, AVCA All-American)
• Miles Pabst – two-time All-American who led the team to the 1973 NCAA Final Four, U.S. National Team Member, First 49er to return to LBSU as head coach (1975–1976)
• Dodge Parker – Pioneer from VB factory Punahou School ('69 class), 1986 LBSU Hall of Fame Inductee, NCAA Men's VB (1970, 1973) & International Volleyball Association's Star, U.S. National Team Member (1973–'80ish)
• Scott Touzinsky – 2001 MPSF Co-Freshman of the Year, 2004 AVCA First Team All-American, and 2004 NCAA All-Tournament, 2008 USA Olympic Gold Medalist
• Josh Tuaniga – 2018 NCAA MVB POY. Four-time AVCA All-American (2016–2019), 2016 Off the Block all-Freshman, inaugural 2018 BWCT MVP.
• Brett Winslow – four-time All-American, 1996 Olympian and team captain of the 1991 national title squad. Winslow's #15 jersey is retired hanging in LBSU's Pyramid.

References

1. "Long Beach Athletics Style Guide" (PDF). June 21, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
2. Guardabascio, Mike (May 1, 2019). "Volleyball World Comes To Long Beach For NCAA Finals".
3. "Scott Touzinsky leaves Long Beach State volleyball program after sexual misconduct probe". April 25, 2019.
4. "Long Beach State vs. Hawaii will be a battle of volleyball titans for national title". Los Angeles Times. May 4, 2019.
5. "Why aren't college coaches subject to SafeSport bans for sexual misconduct?". January 22, 2020.
6. "Hawaii reviewing men's volleyball coach Charlie Wade's sexual misconduct case". April 26, 2019.

External links

• Official website