# Long Beach State men's volleyball

The Long Beach State men's volleyball team is the NCAA Division I men's volleyball team for Long Beach State University. Alan Knipe has been the head coach since 2001, except for three years coaching the United States men's national volleyball team.

## Program record

| Year | Head Coach | Overall record | Conference record | Conference standing | Postseason |
| (SCIVA) (1970–1978) ||||||
| 1970 | Randy Sandefur | 6–4 | 3–2 | 3rd | NCAA Runner-up |
| 1971 | Randy Sandefur | 5–4 | 2–3 | 4th | NCAA Regionals |
| 1972 | Randy Sandefur | 6–8 | 2–4 | 5th | NCAA Regionals |
| 1973 | Ray Sandefur | 15–3 | 9–2 | 1st | NCAA Runner-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 Conference) (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 Conference) (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 Runner-up |
| 1991 | Ray Ratelle | 31–4 | 14–2 | 2nd | NCAA Champion |
| 1992 | Ray Ratelle | 27–4 | 15–1 | 1st | |
| ( MPSF) (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 | 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 Semifinals |
| 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 Semifinals |
| 2017 | Alan Knipe | 24–7 | 16–2 | 1st | NCAA Semifinals |
| (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 | 10–1 | COVID | – | – |
| 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 | NCAA Semifinals |
| 2024 | Alan Knipe | 27–3 | 9–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up |
| Total: | Total: | 859–473 (.645) | 505–352 (.589) | | |
| 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 ||||||

## Coaching History
### 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.
* 2001–2009: Alan Knipe
* 2010–2012: Andy Read †
* 2013–present: Alan Knipe
    Alan Knipe's win–loss record as of 2024 stands at 419–168 (.714). he has been to the Semifinals twice as a player (1990, 1991) and nine as Head Coach (2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024). He was a member of Long Beach's 1991 NCAA Men's Volleyball National Championship Team; he has coached the Beach to two NCAA Championships (2018 and 2019). He was the Head Coach of the U.S. Men's National Team (2009 - 2012) and he returned to LBSU upon completing his service.
    Under Knipe, Scott Touzinsky was a Long Beach State assistant coach. Touzinsky was suspended by USA Volleyball in July 2018 because of a pending investigations by the United States Center for SafeSport. Since the NCAA doesn’t fall under SafeSport jurisdiction, Touzinsky wasn’t prohibited from coaching in college. The complaint against Touzinsky related to when Touzinsky was a player on the USA National Team. 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.
† Interim Head Coach

### Conference

* 1970–1978: SCIVA
** Overall Record (incomplete): 50–56 (.472)
* 1979–1985: CIVA
** Overall Record: 114–82 (.582)
* 1986–1992: WIVA
** Overall Record: 165–68 (.708)
* 1993–2017: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)
** Overall Record: 341–199 (.631)
* 2018–present: Big West Conference
** Overall Record: 51–9 (.850)

### 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 four times to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championships (2001, 2003, 2019, 2024). 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
### Alumni

* Bob Ctvrtlik (1983) – All-American Honorable Mention 1983, U.S. National Team Member (1985-1996). Olympian in 1988, 1992, 1996. 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist. 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist. FIVB Best Player in the World 1995.
* Brett Winslow (1988-1991) – 2x First Team All-American 1990, 1991. NCAA All-Tournament Team 1991. U.S. National Team Member (1992-1999). 1996 U.S. Olympian. Winslow's #15 jersey is retired and hanging in the Walter Pyramid.
* Alan Knipe (1990-1992) – 2x All-American (First Team 1992, Second Team 1991). 3x AVCA Coach of the Year (2004, 2017, 2018); U.S. National Team Coach (2009-2012), 2x MPSF Coach of the Year (2008, 2017), 3x Big West Coach of the Year (2018, 2019, 2024). 3x NCAA Champion, as a player in 1991 and as Head Coach in 2018 and 2019.
* Brent Hilliard (1990-1993) – AVCA National Player of the Year 1992. 4x All-American (First Team 1991,1992,1993; Honorable Mention 1990). NCAA All-Tournament Team 1990,1991. NCAA Tournament MVP 1991. All First Team MPSF 15th Year Anniversary Team. U.S. National Team Member (1991-1995). 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Hilliard's #7 jersey is retired hanging in the Walter Pyramid.
* Tom Hoff (1994-1996) – 2x First Team All-American 1995, 1996. 3x U.S. Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008). 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist. All Second-Team MPSF 15th Year Anniversary Team. NCAA triple-doubles leader (K-B-D).
* David Lee (2001-2004) – First Team All-American 2004. U.S. National Team Member (2003-2016). Olympian in 2008, 2012, 2016. 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist.
* Scott Touzinsky (2001-2004) – MPSF Co-Freshman of the Year 2001, First Team All-American 2004, NCAA All-Tournament Team 2004, U.S. National Team Member (2007-2018). 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist.
* Paul Lotman (2005-2008) – First Team All-American & AVCA Co-National Player of the Year 2008. U.S. National Team Member (2008-2016). Olympian in 2012. Current member of the AVP Tour.
* Taylor Crabb (2011-2014) – AVCA Player of the Year 2013. 3x All-American (First Team 2013, 2014; Third Team 2012). Olympian in 2020 in Beach Volleyball. Current member of AVP Tour.
* Kyle Ensing (2016-2019) – 3x All-American (First Team 2018, 2019; Second Team 2017). Big West Player of the Year 2019. NCAA All-Tournament Team 2018. U.S. National Team Member (2019-Present). Olympian in 2020 and as an alternate in 2024.
* Josh Tuaniga (2016-2019) – AVCA Player of the Year 2018. 4x All-American (First Team 2017, 2018, 2019; Second Team 2016). NCAA Tournament MVP 2018. 2x NCAA All-Tournament Team 2018, 2019. U.S. National Team Member (2019-Present). Named an alternate for Olympics in 2020.
* TJ DeFalco (2016-2019) – 2x AVCA Player of the Year 2017, 2019. 4x First Team All-American (2016-2019). NCAA Tournament MVP 2019. 3x NCAA All-Tournament Team (2016, 2018, 2019). U.S. National Team member (2019-Present). Olympian in 2020, 2024.
* Aleksander Nikolov (2022) – First ever men's true freshman to be named AVCA Player of the Year 2022. NCAA All-Tournament Team 2022. Bulgarian National Team Member (2022-Present).