Men's Volleyball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- Nick.MacRae@csulb.edu
- Phone:
- 985-1450
Nick MacRae has been a part of the Long Beach State men’s volleyball coaching staff for the last 13 seasons, and in 2018, was promoted to associate head coach. MacRae is also the recruiting coordinator for the Beach.
He was named National Collegiate Assistant Coach of the Year by the AVCA for the second time in 2024. MacRae has been an integral part of the program's success. In his time at the Beach, he has helped guide LBSU to seven NCAA Final Four appearances and three National Championships. He has also mentored 47 All-Americans, including four National Players of the Year, as well as 52 All-Conference selections.
MacRae’s primary responsibilities on the staff are working with the setters and the offense. On the way to a 2025 National Championship, the third during his tenure, MacRae played a key role working with and recruiting AVCA National Player of the Year and worldwide phenomenon, Moni Nikolov. A unique player, Nikolov set an NCAA record with 106 aces during the 2025 season as a true freshman, averaging nearly three points per set while making 173 kills, 1,109 assists and 81 total blocks on the year.
Long Beach State hit .398, leading the nation in attack percentage on the way to a dominant 30-3 overall record during the 2025 championship run.
Over his career at LBSU, Nikolov was the fourth All-American setter under his tutelage, joining Aidan Knipe, 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year Josh Tuaniga, and Carlos Rivera.
In his career, he has brought in two No. 1 recruiting classes, and seven Top 5 recruiting classes.
MacRae was instrumental in helping Long Beach State capture its second-straight NCAA National Championship in 2019. With MacRae on the bench, the Beach went 28-2 and notched the program’s first-ever undefeated conference season with a 10-0 record. LBSU turned in another perfect record at home extending the team’s home winning streak to a program-record 43-straight victories at the Walter Pyramid.
The 2019 season saw the Beach win the Big West Regular Season Championship in a five-set win over No. 1 Hawaii before boasting four AVCA All-Americans, including AVCA National Player of the Year TJ DeFalco. Under MacRae’s tutelage, Long Beach State also garnered five Big West All-Conference selections, highlighted by Kyle Ensing’s Player of the Year honor.
MacRae was named the head coach of the 2020-21 Boys Youth National Team. He previously served as the 2018-19 USA Youth National Team assistant coach.
The 2018 AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year was a key component in helping the Beach capture the program’s second National Championship in a historic season that saw the team win a program-record 24 consecutive contests. With MacRae’s guidance, Long Beach State went 28-1 and rolled through conference action claiming the Big West Regular Season and Conference Tournament Championships.
MacRae played an essential role in Long Beach State’s success as the Beach made their third-straight NCAA appearance in 2018. He helped lead the Beach to a 9-1 Big West Conference mark and a perfect 12-0 record inside the Walter Pyramid. LBSU finished the season as National Champions and saw five players earn All-America honors, while junior setter Josh Tuaniga took home the AVCA National Player of the Year award.
In 2017, MacRae was recognized for his hard work and dedication as he earned the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award which honors up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels of the sport.
In addition, MacRae owns a long list of volleyball experience as he has served as the 2018 head coach of the USA Youth-A1 Program at the High Performance Championships and worked as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 USA Youth National Team that took home a Silver Medal at NORCECA en route to qualifying for the 2019 World Championships. MacRae has spent the last two years working as an AVCA Mentor Coach tutoring other AVCA members and coaches.
In 2014 and 2015, MacRae worked as a coach for the USA High Performance Championships. He also coaches at various USA High Performance camps. Lastly, MacRae served as the technical coordinator for the USA Men's Pan American Team and helped the U.S. claim a Gold Medal in the Dominican Republic in 2012, while the squad placed fifth at the 2013 Pan Am Games in Mexico City.
A pillar in the Long Beach community, in which he was born and raised, MacRae gives back by conducting free volleyball camps across the city. As co-owner of Pinnacle Athletic Club, MacRae's club provides volleyball training and teams for boys and girls ages 10-18.
MacRae is a 2007 graduate of Long Beach Wilson High School. He earned a degree in business finance from Long Beach State University in 2021. MacRae played collegiate volleyball at Long Beach City College and Long Beach State.
MacRae resides in Long Beach, where he was born and raised, with his wife Ashley, daughter, Reese, and son, Nyles.
MACRAE AT THE BEACH
8 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES
2025-NCAA Champions (Associate Head Coach)
2024-NCAA Finalists (Associate Head Coach)
2023-NCAA Semifinalists (Associate Head Coach)
2022-NCAA Finalists (Associate Head Coach)
2019-NCAA Champions (Associate Head Coach)
2018-NCAA Champions (Associate Head Coach)
2017-NCAA Semi-Finalists (Assistant Coach)
2016-NCAA Semi-Finalists (Assistant Coach)
MACRAE COACHING HIGHLIGHTS AT THE BEACH
2018, 2019, 2025 NCAA Champions
2022, 2024 NCAA Finalist
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 NCAA Final Fours
2018, 2024 AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year
2017 AVCA 30 under 30 coach award
2 Big West Tournament Championships
1 MPSF Tournament Championship
5 Big West Tournament Appearances
6 MPSF Tournament Appearances
47 All-America Selections
35 All-Big West Selections
4 Big West Players of the Year (2019 Kyle Ensing, 2018 TJ Defalco, 2022 Alex Nikolov, 2025 Moni Nikolov)
4 Big West Freshman of the Year (2021 Clarke Godbold, 2020 Mason Briggs, 2022 Alex Nikolov, 2025 Moni Nikolov)
17 All-MPSF Selections
4 NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Moni Nikolov – 2025 AVCA National Player of the Year
Alex Nikolov – 2022 AVCA National Player of the Year
TJ DeFalco - 2019 AVCA National Player of the Year
Josh Tuaniga – 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year
Josh Tuaniga and TJ DeFalco – 2018 VolleyballMag.com Co-Players of the Year
TJ DeFalco – 2017 AVCA National Player of the Year
MACRAE AS RECRUITING COORDINATOR AT THE BEACH
2023: #5 ranked recruiting class – Volleyball Magazine
2022: #3 ranked recruiting class per Volleyball Magazine & AVCA
2021: #1 ranked recruiting class per Volleyball Magazine & AVCA
2020: #1 ranked recruiting class per Volleyball Magazine & AVCA
2019: #3 ranked recruiting class per Volleyball Magazine & AVCA
2017: #5 ranked recruiting class per Volleyball Magazine & AVCA
MACRAE'S USA EXPERIENCE
2023-24
-Head Coach, U20 USA National Team Development Program
2022-23
-Head Coach, U17 USA National Team Development Program
2021-22
-Head Coach, U21 USA Junior National Team
-Head Coach, U19 & U20 USA National Team Development Program
2020-21
-Head Coach, USA U19 Youth National Team
-Head Coach, USA A1 High Performance
2019-2020
-Assistant Coach, USA U19 Youth National Team (silver medal NORCECA in Costa Rica)
-Head Coach, USA High Performance
2016-2019
Head Coach, USA A1 High Performance
2014-2015
Assistant Coach, USA A1 High Performance
2013
Technical Coordinator, USA PanAmerican Team
2012
Technical Coordinator, USA PanAmerican Team (gold medal PanAm cup in Dominican Republic)
