LONG BEACH — Nick MacRae has been promoted to take over as head coach of the Long Beach State men’s volleyball program following the retirement of long-time coach Alan Knipe.
“Nick MacRae has been at the heart of our program’s rise to national prominence, serving as one of the brightest coaching minds in our sport and an essential architect of the championship standard that defines Long Beach State men’s volleyball,” LBSU athletic director Bobby Smitheran said in a press release on Tuesday. “For more than a decade, he has shaped All-Americans, guided national players of the year, and consistently brought in the nation’s top talent, all while modeling the values and competitive excellence that set the [LBSU] apart.
“Nick’s deep roots in this community, his exceptional ability to teach the game, and his proven leadership make him uniquely prepared to guide the next chapter of our storied program.”
Knipe, who led the program for 22 seasons, announced his retirement on Monday. He led LBSU to three national championships and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, and MacRae was his associate head coach for eight Final Four appearances and all three national titles (2018, 2019 and 2025).
“Nick has proven, year after year, that Long Beach State is where his heart lives,” Knipe said. “He has poured 14 years of unwavering commitment and dedicated service into this program, serving in every role possible in preparation for this moment. From stat and technical coordinator to assistant coach and associate head coach, Nick helped with game plans, training plans, recruited elite talent, mentored young men, developed champions, and helped shape our culture from the inside out. He didn’t just prepare to lead this program, he lived the preparation. He is exceptionally well-prepared to take the reins, and he has my full support. … I know he will do great.”
MacRae has twice been named the National Assistant Coach of the Year in addition to a 30 under 30 selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In addition to the team success, he has mentored 47 All-Americans, including four National Players of the Year, as well as 52 All-Conference selections.
“It is my honor to take over as head coach of the greatest program in the country,” MacRae said. “I’d first like to thank Alan Knipe. I was 17 when Alan first brought me into this program, and I have been with him ever since I graduated from Long Beach State which has now been 13 seasons. Together, we have recruited and celebrated so much of this volleyball family side-by-side through three national championships, five NCAA championship [match] appearances, and eight trips to the NCAA Final Four. Alan has been an incredible mentor to me, and he has prepared me every step of the way for this exact moment.”
McRae expects to build on what the program has already accomplished.
“My philosophy is simple. People and connections come first, and we will maintain our standards and discipline at the same high level as non-negotiables in this program,” said McRae, who has also coached with the U.S. Youth National Teams. “We will continue to compete with LB Grit on and off the court. My job is to unite these young men, elevate them, and help them unlock their potential as future leaders, champions, husbands, fathers, and amazing men in our community.”
MacRae’s primary responsibilities when he was the associate head coach were working with the setters and the offense. He played a key role working with and recruiting 2025 AVCA National Player of the Year Moni Nikolov, who set an NCAA record with 106 aces as a true freshman for a team that hit a nation-best .398.
END OF AN ERA
Knipe, a player on LBSU’s only other national championship volleyball team (1991), retires as one of the most celebrated coaches in school history.
He 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 team into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame.
Knipe, 56, was a three-time National Coach of the Year and a five-time conference Coach of the Year during his tenure. LBSU has gone 450-172 under Knipe, who took over in 2001 and had a brief hiatus from 2010-12 when he coached the U.S. men’s national team.
With Knipe at the helm, the U.S. also qualified for the World League Finals on three occasions (2009, 2011 and 2012), taking the silver medal in 2012. Additionally, the Americans won the gold medal at the 2012 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament, securing their eighth consecutive berth to the Olympics. The U.S. team finished in fifth place at the London Olympics in 2012.
Knipe played three years (1990-92) at Long Beach State under Ray Ratelle and was a key member of the 1991 squad.
“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,” Knipe said in a statement issued through the school. “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.”
Knipe, who also coached Golden West College to its first state title in 1995, thanked those who played for him and those who coached alongside him.
“None of this would have been possible without the coaches who stood beside me and the players who trusted the process year after year,” he said. “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.”
Long Beach State head coach Alan Knipe watches from the sideline during the fourth set of their NCAA men’s volleyball semifinal against Grand Canyon on May 2, 2024, at the Walter Pyramid. Knipe announced his retirement on Monday. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)