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.
𝕏 LBSUMVBIG lbsumvb

Coaching History

Head coach

  • 1970–1974: Randy Sandefur
  • 1975–1976: Miles Pabst
  • 1977–1980: Dick Montgomery
  • 1981: Don Paris
  • 1982–2000: Ray Ratelle
  • 2001–2009: Alan Knipe
  • 2010–2012: Andy Read †
  • 2013–2025: Alan Knipe
  • 2026: Nick MacRae
† ''Interim Head Coach''

Conference

Home court

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

National championships

1991: First NCAA title by defeating USC 3–1 at Neal S. Blaisell Center in Honolulu, HI. Long Beach defeated Penn State 3–0 in the semi-finals.
  • With an overall record of and won the WIVA Conference Tournament Championship. The team included First Team All-American Second Team All-American. NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. NCAA Championship Tournament MVP. Ray Ratelel was named VollyeBall Magazine & AVCA Coach of the Year.
2018: Second NCAA title by defeating UCLA 3–2 at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. They defeated Ohio State University 3–1 in the semi-finals.
  • With two AVCA National Players of the Year, Josh Tunaniga and TJ DeFalco, eight thousand spectators were treated to a thrilling five-set match. The team finished with an overall record of and won the Big West Regular Season and Big West Tournament Championships. First Team All-American, Second Team All-American, Honorable Mention All-American. NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team, NCAA Championship Tournament MVP. Alan Knipe also was named the AVCA & Big West Coach of the Year.
2019: Third NCAA title by defeating Hawaii 3–1 at the Walter Pryamid in Long Beach, CA. Long Beach defeated Pepperdine University 3–1 in the semi-finals.
  • For the first time in school history winning back-to-back National Championships. The team finished with an overall record of and won the Big West Regular Season Championship. The team included AVCA Player of they Year. First Team All-American. Second Team All-American. NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team, NCAA Championship Tournament MVP. Alan Knipe was named the Big West Coach of the Year.
2025: Fourth NCAA title by defeating UCLA 3–0 at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. Long Beach State defeated Pepperdine University 3–1 in the semi-finals.
  • The team finished with an overall record of, winning the Big West Regular Season Championshiop. The team included AVCA Player of they Year. First Team All-American. Second Team All-American. Honorable Mention All-American. NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team, NCAA Championship Tournament MVP.

Notable players

Alumni

  • Bob Ctvrtlik – All-American Honorable Mention 1983, U.S. National Team Member. Olympian in 1988, 1992, 1996. 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist. 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist. FIVB Best Player in the World 1995.
  • Brett Winslow – NCAA Champion 1991. 2x First Team All-American 1990, 1991. NCAA All-Tournament Team 1991. U.S. National Team Member. 1996 U.S. Olympian. Winslow's #15 jersey is retired and hanging in the Walter Pyramid.
  • Alan Knipe – 2x All-American. 3x AVCA Coach of the Year ; U.S. National Team Coach, 2x MPSF Coach of the Year, 3x Big West Coach of the Year. 4x NCAA Champion, as a player in 1991 and as Head Coach in 2018, 2019 and 2025.
  • Brent Hilliard – AVCA National Player of the Year 1992. NCAA Champion 1991. 4x All-American. NCAA All-Tournament Team 1990,1991. NCAA Tournament MVP 1991. All First Team MPSF 15th Year Anniversary Team. U.S. National Team Member. 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Hilliard's #7 jersey is retired and hanging in the Walter Pyramid.
  • Tom Hoff – 2x First Team All-American 1995, 1996. 3x U.S. Olympian. 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist. All Second-Team MPSF 15th Year Anniversary Team. NCAA triple-doubles leader. Hoff's #9 jersey is retired and hanging in the Walter Pyramid.
  • David Lee – First Team All-American 2004. U.S. National Team Member. Olympian in 2008, 2012, 2016. 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist.
  • Scott Touzinsky – MPSF Co-Freshman of the Year 2001, First Team All-American 2004, NCAA All-Tournament Team 2004, U.S. National Team Member. 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist.
  • Paul Lotman – First Team All-American & AVCA Co-National Player of the Year 2008. U.S. National Team Member. Olympian in 2012. Current member of the AVP Tour.
  • Taylor Crabb – AVCA Player of the Year 2013. 3x All-American. Olympian in 2020 in Beach Volleyball. Current member of AVP Tour.
  • Kyle Ensing – 2x NCAA Champion 2018, 2019. 3x All-American. Big West Player of the Year 2019. NCAA All-Tournament Team 2018. U.S. National Team Member. Olympian in 2020 and as an alternate in 2024.
  • Josh Tuaniga – 2x NCAA Champion 2018, 2019. AVCA Player of the Year 2018. 4x All-American. NCAA Tournament MVP 2018. 2x NCAA All-Tournament Team 2018, 2019. U.S. National Team Member. Named an alternate for Olympics in 2020.
  • TJ DeFalco – 2x NCAA Champion 2018, 2019. 2x AVCA Player of the Year 2017, 2019. 4x First Team All-American. NCAA Tournament MVP 2019. 3x NCAA All-Tournament Team. U.S. National Team member. Olympian in 2020 and bronze medalist in 2024.
  • Aleksander Nikolov – First ever men's true freshman to be named AVCA Player of the Year 2022. First Team All-American 2022. NCAA All-Tournament Team 2022. Bulgarian National Team Member.
  • Moni Nikolov – NCAA Champion 2025. Second ever men's true freshman to be named AVCA Player of the Year 2025, following his older brother's foot steps. First Team All-American 2025. NCAA Tournament MVP 2025. NCAA All-Tournament Team 2025. He set the NCAA single-season record with 106 service aces. Bulgarian National Team Member.