Long Beach State Set to Honor Dan Alexander, John Crutchfield, Robert Tarr, Jeff Wootton, and Tom Hoff

John Crutchfield, Dan Alexander, Robert Tarr, Jeff Wootton, Tom Hoff

Long Beach State Set to Honor Dan Alexander, John Crutchfield, Robert Tarr, Jeff Wootton, and Tom Hoff

10/19/2023 12:42:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

The quartet of Dan Alexander, John Crutchfield, Robert Tarr, and Jeff Wootton will be inducted into the Wall of Honor, while Tom Hoff will be honored as his jersey will be hung in the Walter Pyramid rafters

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program will be inducting four new members into the Wall of Honor in Dan Alexander, John Crutchfield, Robert Tarr, and Jeff Wootton. In addition, the Beach will be honoring Tom Hoff as his No. 9 jersey will be hung in the Walter Pyramid rafters, alongside current retired jerseys No. 7 and No. 15 in honor of Brent Hilliard and Brett Winslow, respectively.

"These four men, with their time as members and alumni of the program, have played a significant role in creating and perpetuating the culture of grit and success that defines our 49er volleyball program," said former LBSU men's volleyball player and Wall of Honor Co-Chair Harold Noriega. "The Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program, and all our alumni, are proud to honor these four exceptional men by inducting them into the Wall of Honor."

The major criteria for the Wall of Honor, as outlined by the committee, are as follows: the player must have represented Long Beach State Men's Volleyball with unparalleled success or achievement and truly embodied the passion, commitment, and loyalty that defines the true meaning of a 49er.

The four Wall of Honor inductees have demonstrated a commitment to the LBSU Men's Volleyball program that has far exceeded expectations and has helped the Beach establish itself as one of the perennial powerhouses in the country over the last several decades.

"What an exciting time for our program to celebrate some amazing former players and coaches," said Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe. "All of these guys have a true passion and love for this program that shows with their commitment to their craft. Besides their many accolades, personal and team achievements, it is their undeniable commitment and dedication to our program on a daily basis that will always be what I respect and remember most."

A middle blocker who played for Long Beach State from 2007-10, Alexander garnered AVCA First Team All-American honors, and was a three-time All-MPSF selection while at the Beach. He was part of the 2008 NCAA Semifinalist team that finished the season with a 23-7 overall record. The Beach won the MPSF with an 18-4 conference record and finished the season ranked third nationally.

Alexander is the Rally Scoring Era record holder in career attack percentage (.468), block assists (452), total blocks (474), and blocks per set (1.30). Those marks are currently third, fourth, and sixth all-time at Long Beach State, respectively. He also ranks seventh with 119 career service aces in the LBSU all-time record book. Alexander finished his career with seven double-digit blocking performances to rank fifth all-time at LBSU. In 2009, he put up a career-high 14 block assists against UCLA on January 21 to tie for the single-match record. Following his illustrious collegiate career, Alexander went on to play professionally overseas in Switzerland and Sweden.

Tarr is a two-time AVCA First Team All-American who played at Long Beach State from 2003-06. He ranks in the Top 10 all-time at the Beach in kills with 1,556. In his senior year, Tarr recorded double-figure kills in 32 matches to set a program single-season record that still stands today. He led the Beach in kills in 2005 and 2006 with 545 and 597 kills, respectively, while also leading the squad with 40 services aces in his final collegiate season. Tarr competed in the World University Games in 2005 and won a Bronze Medal with the team in 2007.

A member of the U.S. Men's National Team from 2009-12, Tarr went on to play professionally overseas in Kuwait, France, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and the United Arab Emirates.

Wootton is a Volleyball Magazine All-America Honorable Mention and an All-MPSF Third Team selection who played outside hitter at Long Beach State from 2001-04. He helped lead the Beach to the 2004 NCAA Finals after a season in which he was second on the team with 3.62 kills per set on a .315 attack percentage.

He led Long Beach State in kills (375), kills per set (3.26), and digs (183) for the 2002 season. A recipient of the Dodge Parker "Ironman" Award in 2002, Wootton finished his collegiate career ranked 15th all-time at Long Beach State with 1,202 kills. Wootton went on to play professionally on the AVP Circuit.

"All the members of the Wall of Honor induction committee are extremely excited about this year's class of inductees," said former LBSU men's volleyball player, assistant coach, and Wall of Honor Co-Chair Mike D'Alessandro. "The three players being inducted – Dan, Jeff, and Robert – were All-American level players for the Beach who led their teams to the highest levels of success and were major parts of establishing the winning tradition and culture that has characterized the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program for decades. These legends embodied what the program is all about and are exactly the type of student-athletes that the program wants to acknowledge for their outstanding efforts and contributions while playing for and representing the university and the team."

Crutchfield will be inducted into the Wall of Honor after serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Beach from 2001-15, Crutchfield helped Long Beach State qualify for the MPSF Tournament in 13 of 15 seasons. With Crutchfield on the sidelines, LBSU advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice, making an appearance in the NCAA Finals in 2004 and the semifinals in 2008. A lifelong resident of Long Beach, Calif., Crutchfield has also been an avid supporter of Long Beach State Men's Volleyball.

"Coach John Crutchfield is also being inducted in the Wall of Honor this year, and that is also highly deserved," D'Alessandro stated. "He spent over 15 seasons working with some fantastic players and teams at the Beach. And he did it all as a volunteer coach! His contributions were immense and greatly appreciated by everyone involved with the program. My congratulations to all four Long Beach State Men's Volleyball legends. Well done, guys, and well deserved!"

Hoff, who was inducted into the inaugural class of the Wall of Honor, will be honored during the 2024 season as the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program will raise his No. 9 jersey into the rafters. No. 9 will not be a retired number, but will be a fixture in the Walter Pyramid for years to come.

A two-time AVCA First Team All-American, Hoff played at LBSU from 1995-96. In his two years at the Beach, he racked up 1,230 career kills to rank 14th all-time, while his kills per set (6.54) and blocks per set averages (1.65) are good for second. Hoff recorded 20-plus kills on 37 occasions, which is fourth most in program history, meanwhile his 15 30-plus kill contests and 11 10-plus block performances rank him second at Long Beach State. Hoff is the all-time program leader at the Beach with four triple-doubles in his career.

Hoff holds numerous records in the All-Era Single-Season Record Book as he comes in third with 751 kills, fourth with 7.22 kills per set, and fourth with 176 blocks during the 1995 season. That year, he recorded at least 20 kills a program-record 25 times, while also setting a single-season program record of 13 30-plus kill performances, and nine 10-plus block showings. He is one of just 10 players in Long Beach State Men's Volleyball history to record 40-plus kills in a single match as he knocked down 44 at UC Santa Barbara on March 9, 1995, which ranks him tied for seventh all-time.

Following his decorated collegiate career, Hoff went on to play on the U.S. Men's National Team from 1997-2009, and appeared in three consecutive Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008). As a team captain, Hoff led his team to Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hoff also had a solid professional career overseas playing in Japan, Russia, Greece, and Puerto Rico. He is the father of current Long Beach State Women's Volleyball player Tatum Hoff.