Alan Knipe Announces Retirement Following Hall Of Fame Career At Long Beach State
12/1/2025 1:12:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Knipe was a part of all four National Championships won by the Men’s Volleyball program at the Beach.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State Men's Volleyball Head Coach Alan Knipe has announced that he will retire at the end of the calendar year following an extraordinary 25-year career spanning both his time as a standout student-athlete and his tenure as one of the most celebrated coaches in Long Beach State history.
"Alan Knipe retires as one of the most accomplished and influential figures in the history of Long Beach State Athletics. The only person to be a part of all four NCAA National Championships in program history, Alan built a national powerhouse rooted in elite performance, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the Beach," said Executive Director of Athletics Bobby Smitheran. "His leadership produced national titles, National Players of the Year, Olympians, and a culture of excellence that became the hallmark of Long Beach State men's volleyball. His impact reaches far beyond wins. He shaped men, elevated our community, and set a standard that will guide this program for generations to come.
"Alan's contributions to the sport of men's volleyball are countless as well, including his service to USA Volleyball as a player and coach, his involvement at the club level, and the many camps and clinics locally and around the world he has participated in to help grow the sport. While Alan's retirement will leave a huge void in Beach Athletics, he has positioned the program for sustained success, and we look forward to further opportunities for Alan to remain connected to Beach Athletics. We thank Alan for a lifetime of service, passion, and excellence and wish he and wife Jen the best on the next chapter in their lives."
Knipe was recently selected as a member of the Class of 2025 for induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame, national recognition for his accomplishments on the collegiate and international level. That comes on the heels of his induction into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as well as his induction both as a player and as part of the 1991 National Championship team into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Long Beach State Men's Volleyball is coming off of an outstanding season which saw the Beach claim a fourth NCAA Men's Volleyball national championship. A transformative figure for Long Beach State, Knipe has been a part of all four of those championships, winning as a player in 1991 before collecting three more trophies as the head coach in 2018, 2019 and 2025.
Over 22 seasons as the head coach of Long Beach State, Knipe has guided Long Beach State to eight conference titles and 10 NCAA Final Four appearances, including eight in the last nine seasons. Additionally, Long Beach State has had outstanding player development and recruiting under his leadership, with eight players being named the National Player of the Year under his leadership, and over 100 All-Americans. Knipe was a three-time National Coach of the Year and a five-time conference Coach of the Year during his tenure.
Long Beach State has posted a 450-172 record under Knipe, a winning percentage of over 70% since 2001 when he started as the head coach of the Beach, with a brief hiatus from 2010-12 when he coached the United State Men's National Team.
With Knipe at the helm, the United States also qualified for the World League Finals on three occasions (2009, 2011 and 2012). In 2012, they claimed the FIVB World League silver medal, marking their second-best finish since the World League began in 1990. Additionally, the U.S. won the gold medal at the 2012 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament, securing their eighth consecutive berth to the Olympics. The United State finished in fifth place overall at the London Olympics in 2012.
Knipe played three years (1990-92) at Long Beach State under Ray Ratelle, where he was a key member of the 1991 National Championship team.
An announcement regarding Knipe's successor as the Head Coach of the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program will be made in the coming days.
A Message From Alan Knipe:
Alan Knipe, Milestones of a Legend – The Definitive Career Record:
Head Coach, Long Beach State Men's Volleyball
2001-2009, 2013-2025
Head Coach, USA Volleyball (Men's National Team)
2008-2012
Head Coach, Golden West College Men's Volleyball
1994-1995
Professional & USA Volleyball Career
1991-1998
College Volleyball Playing Career
1988-1991
Career Achievements
"Alan Knipe retires as one of the most accomplished and influential figures in the history of Long Beach State Athletics. The only person to be a part of all four NCAA National Championships in program history, Alan built a national powerhouse rooted in elite performance, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the Beach," said Executive Director of Athletics Bobby Smitheran. "His leadership produced national titles, National Players of the Year, Olympians, and a culture of excellence that became the hallmark of Long Beach State men's volleyball. His impact reaches far beyond wins. He shaped men, elevated our community, and set a standard that will guide this program for generations to come.
"Alan's contributions to the sport of men's volleyball are countless as well, including his service to USA Volleyball as a player and coach, his involvement at the club level, and the many camps and clinics locally and around the world he has participated in to help grow the sport. While Alan's retirement will leave a huge void in Beach Athletics, he has positioned the program for sustained success, and we look forward to further opportunities for Alan to remain connected to Beach Athletics. We thank Alan for a lifetime of service, passion, and excellence and wish he and wife Jen the best on the next chapter in their lives."
Knipe was recently selected as a member of the Class of 2025 for induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame, national recognition for his accomplishments on the collegiate and international level. That comes on the heels of his induction into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as well as his induction both as a player and as part of the 1991 National Championship team into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Long Beach State Men's Volleyball is coming off of an outstanding season which saw the Beach claim a fourth NCAA Men's Volleyball national championship. A transformative figure for Long Beach State, Knipe has been a part of all four of those championships, winning as a player in 1991 before collecting three more trophies as the head coach in 2018, 2019 and 2025.
Over 22 seasons as the head coach of Long Beach State, Knipe has guided Long Beach State to eight conference titles and 10 NCAA Final Four appearances, including eight in the last nine seasons. Additionally, Long Beach State has had outstanding player development and recruiting under his leadership, with eight players being named the National Player of the Year under his leadership, and over 100 All-Americans. Knipe was a three-time National Coach of the Year and a five-time conference Coach of the Year during his tenure.
Long Beach State has posted a 450-172 record under Knipe, a winning percentage of over 70% since 2001 when he started as the head coach of the Beach, with a brief hiatus from 2010-12 when he coached the United State Men's National Team.
With Knipe at the helm, the United States also qualified for the World League Finals on three occasions (2009, 2011 and 2012). In 2012, they claimed the FIVB World League silver medal, marking their second-best finish since the World League began in 1990. Additionally, the U.S. won the gold medal at the 2012 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament, securing their eighth consecutive berth to the Olympics. The United State finished in fifth place overall at the London Olympics in 2012.
Knipe played three years (1990-92) at Long Beach State under Ray Ratelle, where he was a key member of the 1991 National Championship team.
An announcement regarding Knipe's successor as the Head Coach of the Long Beach State Men's Volleyball program will be made in the coming days.
A Message From Alan Knipe:
"Long Beach State gave me far more than a place to coach. It became my home and was and is one of the great honors of my life! As a proud alumnus, leading the Men's Volleyball program was never just a job, it was a lifelong mission to mentor young men who were willing to commit to something bigger than themselves. I will always be proud of what we built together, but the legacy I cherish most is watching our players grow into outstanding men. They've left and have become leaders, fathers, husbands, and role models who now shape lives far beyond this campus. Seeing who they have become has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I love all of them deeply.
This journey was shared, shaped, and elevated by so many remarkable people. I want to thank President Maxson and Athletics Director Bill Shumard for taking a chance on a young head coach. I will always be grateful for that belief in me from the very beginning. Thank you to President Conoley and Athletics Director Andy Fee for helping elevate our program and our sport nationally, proving what intentional support can do for an Olympic sport, specifically men's volleyball. Thank you to current Athletics Director Bobby Smitheran for helping chart a path for men's volleyball in this transformational period of college athletics. And a huge thank you to Mark Edrington, Associate Athletics Director and Men's Volleyball Sports Supervisor. Mark has been with me for more than 20 years, and through waves of leadership turnover, he has been a constant source of support and guidance.
None of this would have been possible without the coaches who stood beside me and the players who trusted the process year after year. To every coach and mentor who poured into this program with me, and to every player who wore the LB logo with pride, I want to say thank you. Thank you for pushing me, inspiring me, and committing to growth day in and day out. I am grateful for the culture we built, one anchored in connection, love, gratitude, accountability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
My family lived this legacy with me. Jennifer, Aidan, and Evan carried this life alongside me with patience, sacrifice, perspective, and unwavering love. Being the family of a coach is not easy, yet they supported me with strength, heart, and a selflessness that grounded me every step of the way. They have always been, and will always be, my greatest source of balance and gratitude. I also owe so much of who I am, both as a coach and as a man, to my parents, who came to America from Northern Ireland in pursuit of the American Dream. They believed in a better future, worked relentlessly to build it, and in doing so, gave me the runway to live that dream out with immense pride. Their courage and devotion will always be one of the greatest examples I've ever witnessed.
LB Nation, the best fans in the country, thank you! There is nothing in college volleyball like coaching in front of you whether it be in the Pyramid or the Gold Mine. Your loyalty, passion and love for this sport set the standard nationally. The energy of the Pyramid, in front of the nation's best volleyball fans, is something I will always cherish and never forget. You lifted these young men, you lifted our program, and you lifted me. I will always consider myself the luckiest coach in the country, period.
I feel great about where the program stands and where it is headed. The coaching, mentorship, culture, and internal commitment within this team have never been stronger. I'm confident this program will continue to evolve, the dedicated players and coaches are ready to take on the season with the true LB Grit required for greatness, I look forward to cheering them on long into the future.
I was once told, you will know when you know… I guess I know. Long Beach State Men's Volleyball will always live in my heart. I look forward to watching the program continue to grow and thrive for generations to come. I thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to lead this program, and I always will."
Alan Knipe, Milestones of a Legend – The Definitive Career Record:
Head Coach, Long Beach State Men's Volleyball
2001-2009, 2013-2025
- Led the program to three DI-II NCAA Championships (2025, 2019, 2018)
- Lead the LBSU to the 1991 NCAA Championship as a Player 1991
- First Men's NCAA Championship in School History
- The only person in Long Beach State History to be part of all Four NCAA Championships
- MVB is the only LBSU Men's Athletic Program to win the NCAA Championship
- Led Long Beach State to 10 NCAA Final Four appearances as Head Coach
- Led Long Beach State to 6 of the last 7 Big West Conference Regular Season Championships
- Assistant Coach, Helped Long Beach State to the NCAA Championship Match 1999
- Achieved 450 wins with a winning percentage of .725
- Winningest Coach in Long Beach State History
- Developed 8 NCAA Players of the Year
- Developed over 103 All-Americans
- Three-time NCAA/AVCA National Coach of the Year
- Five-time Conference Coach of the Year (Big West & MPSF)
- The only Coach & Son (Aidan) to compete in the National Championship Match ('22 & '24)
- Both were AVCA All Americans multiple times
- Developed 9 Players that Represented the USA at the Olympics
- Developed over 40 Professional Volleyball Players
Head Coach, USA Volleyball (Men's National Team)
2008-2012
- Guided the team as Head Coach during the London Olympics (5TH Place)
- Gold medal at the 2012 NORCECA Olympic Qualifier (Long Beach, CA) and a
- Silver medal at the 2012 World League Finals (Sofia, Bulgaria)
- 5th Place at the 2010 FIVB World Championships (Rome, Italy)
- Silver Medal at the 2010 NORCECA World Cup Qualifier (San Juan, PR)
- Gold Medal at the 2009 NORCECA World Championships Qualifier (Irvine, CA)
- Gold Medal at the 2008 Pan-Am Cup (Winnipeg, Canada)
- Bronze Medal at the 2006 FISU World University Games (Bangkok, Thailand)
Head Coach, Golden West College Men's Volleyball
1994-1995
- Led Golden West to the California Community College State Championship 1995 - First in School History
- California Community College Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year 1995
Professional & USA Volleyball Career
1991-1998
- 6 Time USA Volleyball Open Championships – National Champion
- USA Volleyball Player of the Year - 1993
- Perugia, Olio Venturi (Italy) - 1994
- Zellik, Brussels (Belgium) - 1995
- Bud Light Professional 4-Man Beach Volleyball League 1993-1998
- Team Cup Professional League (Great Western Forum) 1993 & 1994
- Member of the USA National Team 1993-1994
- Member of the USA Volleyball Team - World League (VNL) 1993
- USA Volleyball, Silver Medalist at the FISU World University Games 1991
College Volleyball Playing Career
1988-1991
- 1991 NCAA Champion
- 1991 NCAA Final Four – All Tournament Team
- 1991 WIVA Conference Champion
- 1990 NCAA Championship Finalist
- 1990 WIVA Conference Champion
- 1991 NCAA All American
- 1992 NCAA All American
- 1992 WIVA Conference Champion
- 1992 Long Beach State Men's Volleyball Team Captain
- 1992 First Team All-Conference
- 1988 Orange Coast College, Men's Volleyball - MVP
- 1988 California Community College – First Team All-Conference
Career Achievements
- Inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as an All-Time Great Coach, 2024
- Inducted into the AVCA Volleyball Hall of Fame, 2025
- Inducted into the Long Beach Century Club Hall of Fame, 2024
- Inducted into the Long Beach State Athletic Department Hall of Fame as a Player
- Inducted into the Long Beach State Athletic Department Hall of Fame – 1991 Team Member
- Member of the Southern California Volleyball Hall of Fame
- Inducted into the California Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame
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