Long Beach State 49ers men's volleyball

CSULB 49er Volleyball
University Long Beach State University
Conference MPSF
Location Long Beach, CA
Head Coach Alan Knipe (9th year)
Arena Walter Pyramid
(Capacity: 5,000)
Nickname LB 49ers
Colors Black and Gold

             

NCAA Tournament Champions
1991
NCAA Tournament Runner Up
1990, 1999, 2004
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1970, 1973, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2004, 2008
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2004, 2008
Conference Tournament Champions
1973, 1990, 1991
Conference Regular Season Champions
SCIVA: 1973
WIVA: 1990, 1992
MPSF: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008

The Long Beach State 49ers men's volleyball team is the NCAA Division I men's volleyball team for the Long Beach State University.

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
' (MPSF) (1993–present)
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 Runners-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 Runners-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
Total 663–384 390–292

Team facts

Head coach

  • 1970–1974: Randy Sandefur
  • 1975–1976: Miles Pabst
  • 1977–1980: Dick Montgomery
  • 1981: Don Paris
  • 1982–2000: Ray Ratelle
  • 2001–present: Alan Knipe
Alan Knipe's win-loss record presently stands at 169–103 (.621 percentage). He has been to the final four a total of four times: twice as a player (1990, 1991) and twice as a coach (2004, 2008). He was a member of Long Beach's only—1991--NCAA Men's VB National Championship Team; coming up a game short in coaching the 2008 team to NCAA Runners-up, he has yet to coach the 49ers to its second NCAA National Championship. He is the current head coach of the U.S. National Team, and he is expected to return to LBSU upon completion of his service.

Conference

  • 1970–1978: SCIVA
    • Overall Record (incomplete): 50–56
  • 1979–1985: CIVA
    • Overall Record: 114–82
  • 1986–1992: WIVA
    • Overall Record: 165–68
  • 1993–present: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)

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 and only national championship to date.

1991's team included these mentionable leaders: Alan Knipe, Brent Hilliard (NCAA Final Four MVP), Brett Winslow, 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-loss ratio.

Notable players

  • 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)
  • Tyler Hildebrande – 4 yr starter who simultaneously doubled as the U.S. National Team's setter (2003–present), 3-time AVCA—and Asics/VB Mag.--1st Team All-American (2004–2006), all 3rd team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team
  • Tim Hill – 2-time all SCIVA Conference Player, AVP Hall of Famer
  • Brent Hilliard – 4-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, all 1st team MPSF 15th Yr. Anniversary Team, U.S. Olympic Team Member (1992, Bronze Medalist)
  • Tom Hoff – 2-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 – 2-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–present)
  • Paul Lotman – 2008 AVCA 1st Team All-American & National Player of the Year
  • David McKenzie – 3-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 – 2-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)
  • Brett Winslow - 1996 Olympian and team captain of the 1991 national title squad at LBSU

References

    External links

    Official website