| Men's Volleyball
Announces Wall of Honor Class
Six New Members Join Wall of Honor
October 15, 2007
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Long Beach State men’s
volleyball program has announced its 2007 Wall of Honor class today in
conjunction
with its annual Alumni Weekend. Announced by the men’s volleyball
Hall of Honor Committee, the class of inductees includes: Michael Barton,
Mike D’Alessandro,
Tim Hill, Matt Lyles, Jim Polster and Ray Ratelle.
The two major induction criteria for the hall of honor, as outlined by
the committee, was the following; The player must have represented Long
Beach State Men’s volleyball with unparallel success or achievement
and truly embodied the passion, commitment, and loyalty that makes up
a 49er men’s volleyball player.
The class of 2007 not only contributed greatly on the court during their
playing days, but also has contributed significantly to the program off
the court. These chosen individuals have demonstrated an exceeded commitment
to the men’s program that has helped create one of the nation’s
premier volleyball programs.
The Wall of Honor class will be recognized in conjunction with the men’s
volleyball annual alumni weekend, Nov. 2nd – 4th. The 49ers will
hold an alumni match on November 3rd. The match will take place at 5:00
pm in the Walter Pyramid. The reception honoring this years class will
be
held in The Pointe Immediately following the alumni match. The festivities
will also include a meet and greet with the 2008 Long Beach State team.
The men’s volleyball program has allowed for the public to partake
in the celebration, and encourages anyone interested to contact assistant
coach Matt Prosser for more information. Prosser can be reached at (562)
985-9290 or via E-Mail at mprosser@csulb.edu.
MICHAEL
BARTON
Michael Barton's career as a player began
nearly 40 years ago at El Camino College, where Michael
and his teammates won a Junior College Championship in
1970.
Barton transferred to Long Beach State in February, 1971 and started every match
for the next three years. In 1973, the team reached the NCAA finals in San Diego,
where San Diego State and Long Beach State played before what was then the largest
crowd to attend a volleyball match in the U.S. Later in 1973, Michael joined 49er
teammate Tom Ashen as well as volleyball legends Doug Beal and Chris Marlowe
at the World
University Games in Moscow, where the
U.S. played the number one team in the world, the USSR, in its initial match.
In 1975, a group of businessmen, who also happened to be volleyball
enthusiasts,
formed what was the first "professional" league in the U.S. The League
had the unfortunate title of "The Winston League" and lasted only one
season. Michael played for the Los Angeles entry which reached the League final.
Michael was also selected a "Winston All-Star". In 1977, Michael attained
a rating of "Triple A" on
the Beach Circuit.
Michael's indoor career included a 1979 USVBA National Championship in Dayton,
Ohio. There, he teamed with Tim Hovland and Pat Powers to sweep every match during
the six day event, where Michael was named an All-American. Michael continues
to compete as a player to this day at the USA Volleyball National Championships,
where he and his teamates
are "on the podium" nearly
every year. At the International level, Michael represented the United States
in the 2002 World Master's Games in Melbourne, Australia. There, the U.S. took
a Bronze Medal.
MIKE
D'ALESSANDRO
Mike D'Alessandro is
currently the Head Coach at Golden West College. D'Alessandro
served two stints as an assistant coach, first for eight
years under previous Head
Coach Ray Ratelle from 1988-1995, and second for two years
(2006-07) with current 49er Head Coach Alan Knipe.
D'Alessandro served as the Associate Head Men's Coach at UC Irvine for two years
(2000-01). Prior to that he was the Head Men's Coach at Golden West College from
1995-1999. While at Golden West, he piloted Golden West to four consecutive California
State Community College Championships (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998) and was named
the State JC Coach of the Year four times. D'Alessandro's five-year mark at Golden
West was an impressive 83-11. While at Golden West he also served as an assistant
coach for the women's program in 1995, helping lead the Rustlers to a 22-2 mark
and the 1995 California State Community College Championship.
During his eight years at Long Beach State as an assistant, D'Alessandro was
a part of the 1991 NCAA Championship squad and the 1990 NCAA Championship finalist
teams. The 49ers were 174-75 in those eight years and also won two WIVA titles
(1990, 1992).
In 1987-88, D'Alessandro got his first taste of coaching at the collegiate level,
serving as an assistant coach at Orange Coast College. OCC went 42-9 in his two
years there and won the 1987 California State Community College Championship.
D'Alessandro got his coaching start at the prep level. From 1984-87 he was the
assistant coach for both the boy's and girl's programs at Newport Harbor High
School. Both teams won CIF Championships in 1987 and were Seaview League champions
as well. He also was an assistant boy's coach in 1985-86 at Edison High School,
helping lead the Chargers to back-to-back Sunset League titles and appearances
as CIF semi-finalists in 1985 and advancing to the CIF Finals in 1986.
A three-year letterwinner in men's volleyball at Long Beach State, D'Alessandro
was a setter and started every match during the 1982 season. In 1980 and 1981
the 49ers finished the year ranked No. 3 in the country, while reaching the NCAA
Western Regional Finals in 1981. D'Alessandro was an all-conference selection
his junior season. He began his collegiate career at San Diego State, lettering
one year after being a first team All-CIF selection his senior campaign at Huntington
Beach High School.
D'Alessando was a member of the AVP Tour from 1984-89, was a five-time USA Volleyball
All-American and a three-time USA Volleyball National Champion (1979, 1993, 2000).
TIM
HILL
Tim Hill started playing volleyball at Newport
and Huntington beaches in the early seventies. He played
on a Fountain Valley HS team which participated in the
first year of CIF and finished second in the prestigious
Orange County Tournament defeating then powerhouse teams;
Huntington Beach, Newport Harbor, and Corona Del Mar. Tim
went on to play for Long Beach State where he earned USVBA
All-American honors, NCAA Academic All-American honors,
President's Honor List 1976, Dean's List '77, '78, and
'79, Senior Scholarship Award (Top Student Athlete 1978),
and a AAA beach rating. After his freshman year in 1975
he was selected to the US National Team and was named to
the 1976 Olympic Team participating in the 1975 Pan Am
Games and the final Olympic Qualification Tournament in
January 1976 in Rome. He continued to play for Team USA
on the national and junior level. In 1978 he received offers
to play for San Diego and the Orange County Stars of the
IVA before signing with the El Paso Sol while maintaining
his amateur status or international volleyball. In the
early eighties Tim played in regional beach tournaments
in Colorado and select AVP Tour events.
Tim started coaching in the Sacramento area in 2001; his team won the NCVA Silver
division that Fall. In Spring 2002 Tim coached a team which finished tied for
third in the JOs 18s Club Division at Louisville and named two players to the
All-American Team.. He is currently serving as Club Director for Sacramento Volleyball
Club. In the Spring of 2003 the Sacramento Volleyball Club organized three teams
for post-season play in Southern California and the Junior Olympics in Phoenix.
In 2004 Tim organized five boys teams who participated in that year's Junior
Olympics.
Tim has a BS in Finance from Long Beach State and a MBA degree from Regis University
in Denver, CO. He is also a Diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives
and lives in Orangevale, Calif.
MATT
LYLES
Matt Lyles is entering
his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Santa
Clara University women's
volleyball team. He joined the Bronco staff in 2003 after
successful endeavors in private business, high school
coaching and a playing career that included both amateur
and professional ties. He is involved in all aspects
of the program and concentrates on developing the outside
hitters.
Lyles was a member of the 49er squad that won the 1991 NCAA National Championship.
During the team's run through the tournament, Lyles' performance earned all-tournament
Team honors following the championship match.
Prior to his time at CSULB, Lyles played for one season at Orange Coast Community
College in Newport Beach for current Bronco head coach Jon Wallace, who was an
assistant at the time. While at OCC, Lyles led his team to the California State
Community College Championship.
Following his collegiate career, Lyles played three seasons for the U.S. National
Team. In 1991, he helped the Americans to a second-place finish at the World
University Games in England and a fourth-place finish at the Pan-Am Games in
Cuba. During the 1993 season he helped the U.S. to a second-place finish at the
Norceca Zone Championships.
Lyles spent four years playing internationally, including the 1996-97 and 1997-98
seasons for Team Nesselande in Holland where he served as a player/coach and
guided the squad to the Dutch Championship in 1998. Lyles also played pro beach
volleyball on the AVP Tour from 1996 to 2003.
Lyles married the former Jamie Keith, a former volleyball standout for the University
of Nevada, in 2006 in Los Gatos, Calif.
JIM
POLSTER
Current member of the U.S. Men's National
Team, Jim Polster has seen extensive internation experience
since joining Team USA in 2001. He was a member of the
team that played in the NORCECA Zone Championships in
Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth
in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier. In
2001 he won a gold medal at the World University Games
in Beijing, China.
At Long Beach State, Polster earned second-team All-America honors by the American
Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) his senior year. He was named to the All-Mountain
Pacific Sports Federation third team as a senior after averaging 3.53 kills,
0.89 blocks and 1.62 digs per game for the fourth-ranked 49ers, who finished
the year 18-7 and tied for first place with Hawaii in the Pacific Division of
the MPSF. As a junior in. 2000 he earned All-MPSF honorable mention honors averaging
3.89 kills and 1.81 digs per game coupled with a .318 hitting percentage. In
1999 he was an All-MPSF honorable mention pick after he led the team in total
digs with 223 and in digs per game with 2.42, ranking fifth nationally in digs
per game.
Overall in his four years as a 49er, Polster ranks No. 7 all-time with 1,360
career kills, No. 4 all-time in service aces (91), No. 5 in dig average (1.98)
and No. 6 all-time with 688 digs.
RAY
RATELLE
Ray Ratelle was the
head men’s
volleyball coach at Long Beach State for 19 years (1982-2000).
Ratelle compiled
a career mark of 385-190 (.670) with three conference titles
to his credit. He led the 49ers to the 1991 NCAA Championship
with a 31-4 mark. Long Beach defeated USC in the championship
match (3-1) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ratelle also led the 49ers
to second place NCAA finishes in 1990 and 1999.
He was selected as the 1990 NCAA Coach of the Year by Volleyball Magazine and
was the 1991 NCAA Coach of the Year by both Volleyball Magazine and the American
Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). While at LBSU he coached U.S. Olympians
Brent Hilliard, Brett Winslow and Tom Hoff, while former players David McKenzie,
Chris Seiffert and Jim Polster are all training with the current U.S. National
Team. Under his direction, 49er players earned a total of 55 All-America honors,
including 23 first team certificates.
A member of the Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Fame, Ratelle's 385 career
wins are the most among 49er men's volleyball coaches. He recorded 10 seasons
with 20 or more victories while winning three conference title and making three
appearances at the Final Four.
Ratelle is currently an instructor in the Kinesiology Department at Long Beach
State.
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