Alan Knipe
American volleyball coach (born 1969)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alan Knipe (born January 1, 1969) is the head coach of the Long Beach State men's volleyball team. As a player at CSULB, he helped the team reach back-to-back NCAA Men's Volleyball Championships in 1990 and 1991, winning the Championship in 1991. As a head coach, he has guided them to ten NCAA Semifinal appearances (2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) and three National Championships (2018, 2019, 2025). As a player, assistant coach and head coach, Knipe has helped the Long Beach State team to 12 of the program's 14 NCAA Semifinal appearances.
Huntington Beach, California, U.S.
| Biographical details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1969 Huntington Beach, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Orange Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Long Beach State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Middle blocker | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Golden West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Long Beach State (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2009 | Long Beach State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2025 | Long Beach State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2012 | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 474–185 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accomplishments and honors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
Knipe played on the Long Beach State men's volleyball team from 1990 to 1992. In 1991, he was named to the All-American second team and helped The Beach win the NCAA Championship.[1] In 1992, he was named to the All-America first team.[1]
Knipe then played for the U.S. national team in 1992 and 1993. Knipe played professionally in Italy and Belgium. He also played on the Bud Light 4-Man Pro Beach Volleyball Tour.[1]
Coaching career
College
Knipe was the men's head volleyball coach at Golden West College in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, along with Co-Head Coach and former CSULB teammate Patrick Sullivan, led the team to the California State JC championship. The championship was the first in school history for the men's team.[1] His win-loss record at GWC was 28–14 (.667).
Knipe then became an assistant coach at Long Beach State in 1996. He was named the Head Coach in 2000. In 2004, he led the team to a 28–7 record and into the NCAA final.[1] He was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year.[1]
In 2008, he led the team to the NCAA Tournament semifinals and was named MPSF Coach of the Year and Volleyball Magazine Coach of the Year. Following the 2009 season, Knipe took three seasons off to coach the United States Men's National Volleyball team. Knipe lead Long Beach State to four straight NCAA Final Four appearances from 2016 to 2019. Winning the NCAA Championship in 2018 and 2019, the first back-to-back National Championships at Long Beach State. Knipe was named AVCA Coach of the year in 2017 and 2018. He was also named conference coach of the year in 2017, 2018, and 2019. He has helped develop 6 National Player of the Year, starting with Paul Lotman (2008), Taylor Crabb (2013), Josh Tuaniga (2017), TJ DeFalco (2017, 2019) and Aleksander Nikolov (2022).[1]
International
Knipe became the Head Coach of the U.S. Men's National Team in 2009. Leading the team to the silver medal at the 2009 and 2011 at the NORCECA Championships as well as the 2012 FIVB World League. Knipe coached Team USA to the World League Finals in 2009, 2011, and 2012. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, the U.S. finished tied for fifth, winning their pool and finishing with a 4–2 record.[2]
Personal life
Knipe graduated from Marina High School in 1987 and from Long Beach State in 1992.[1] He lives in Huntington Beach, California, with his wife and two sons, Evan and Aidan.[2]
Head coaching record
College
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach State 49ers (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) (2001–2009) | |||||||||
| 2001 | Long Beach State | 18–7 | 12–5 | 1st | |||||
| 2002 | Long Beach State | 13–18 | 9–13 | 7th | |||||
| 2003 | Long Beach State | 17–13 | 11–11 | 8th | |||||
| 2004 | Long Beach State | 28–7 | 18–4 | 2nd | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2005 | Long Beach State | 22–10 | 14–8 | 5th | |||||
| 2006 | Long Beach State | 22–10 | 14–8 | 4th | |||||
| 2007 | Long Beach State | 11–17 | 6–16 | 10th | |||||
| 2008 | Long Beach State | 23–7 | 18–4 | 1st | NCAA Semifinal | ||||
| 2009 | Long Beach State | 14–14 | 11–11 | 7th | |||||
| Long Beach State 49ers (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) (2013–2017) | |||||||||
| 2013 | Long Beach State | 24–8 | 18–6 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2014 | Long Beach State | 18–10 | 15–9 | T–4th | |||||
| 2015 | Long Beach State | 15–13 | 11–11 | 7th | |||||
| 2016 | Long Beach State | 25–8 | 17–5 | T–2nd | NCAA Semifinal | ||||
| 2017 | Long Beach State | 24–7 | 16–2 | 1st | NCAA Semifinal | ||||
| Long Beach State 49ers/Beach (Big West Conference) (2018–2025) | |||||||||
| 2018 | Long Beach State | 28–1 | 9–1 | 1st | NCAA Champion | ||||
| 2019 | Long Beach State | 28–2 | 10–0 | 1st | NCAA Champion | ||||
| 2020 | Long Beach State | 10–1 | N/A[n 1] | N/A[n 1] | Abbreviated season due to COVID-19[n 1] | ||||
| 2021 | Long Beach State | 7–5 | 6–4 | 3rd | |||||
| 2022 | Long Beach State | 21–6 | 8–2 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2023 | Long Beach State | 21–5 | 9–1 | T–1st | NCAA Semifinal | ||||
| 2024 | Long Beach State | 27–3 | 9–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2025 | Long Beach State | 30–3 | 8–2 | 1st | NCAA Champion | ||||
| Long Beach State: | 446–171 (.723) | 249–124 (.668) | |||||||
| Total: | 446–171 (.723) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
- Season not played past March 6 due to COVID-19 pandemic
Junior college
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden West Rustlers (1994–1995) | |||||||||
| 1994 | Golden West | 10–9 | 9–8 | ||||||
| 1995 | Golden West | 18–5 | 12–5 | ||||||
| Golden West: | 28–14 (.667) | 21–13 (.618) | |||||||
| Total: | 28–14 (.667) | ||||||||