2023 Long Beach State Beach men's volleyball team explained

Sport:men's volleyball
Year:2023
Team:Long Beach State Beach
Conference:Big West Conference
Short Conf:Big West
Record:21-5
Conf Record:9–1
Head Coach:Alan Knipe
Hc Year:20th
Asst Coach1:Nick MacRae
Ac1 Year:11th
Asst Coach2:McKay Smith
Ac2 Year:4th
Stadium:Walter Pyramid
Champion:Big West Regular Season Co-Champions
Tourney:NCAA Tournament
Tourney Result:Semifinals

The 2023 Long Beach State Beach men's volleyball team represents Long Beach State University in the 2023 NCAA Division I & II men's volleyball season. The Beach, led by twentieth year head coach Alan Knipe, play their home games at Walter Pyramid. The Beach compete as members of the Big West Conference and were picked as second in the Big West preseason poll.[1]

Preseason

Coaches poll

The preseason poll was released on December 21, 2022. Long Beach State was picked to finish second in the Big West Conference standings.[2]

1 Hawai'i 25 (5)
2 Long Beach State 19
3 UC Irvine 17 (1)
4 UC Santa Barbara 13
5 CSUN 10
6 UC San Diego 6

Roster

2023 Long Beach State Beach roster[3]
 Defensive specialist/libero
  • 3 Mason Briggs - Junior[4]
  • 22 Caden Jackson - Sophomore
  • 28 Chris Connelly- Freshman

Middle blockers

  • 1 Shane Holdaway - Senior
  • 19 DiAeris McRaven - Sophomore
  • 20 Aidan Grosz - Junior
  • 21 Grant Marocchi - Senior
  • 23 Derek Owens - Junior
  • 24 Noah Robin - Sophomore
  • 29 Josh Weyerhaeuser - Freshman
 Outside hitters
  • 2 Sebastian Rodriguez - Sophomore
  • 4 Skyler Varga - Sophomore
  • 8 Sotiris Siapanis - Sophomore
  • 9 Nathan Harlan - Junior
  • 10 Connor Bloom - Freshman
  • 12 Clarke Godbold - Junior
  • 17 Dane Hillis - Sophomore
  • 27 Calvin Sanborn - Senior
  • 31 Spencer Olivier - Senior
 Opposite hitters
  • 9 Nathan Harlan - Junior
  • 10 Connor Bloom - Freshman
  • 11 Simon Torwie - Junior
  • 16 Nico Lietz - Freshman
  • 18 Nato Dickinson - Sophomore
  • 25 Ryan Peluso - Freshman
  • 27 Calvin Sanborn - Senior

Setters

  • 5 Aidan Knipe - Junior
  • 6 Josh Rosenblum - Freshman
  • 13 Island Doty - Freshman
  • 18 Nato Dickinson - Sophomore
  • 25 Ryan Peluso - Freshman
  • 26 Eric Beebe - Junior
 

Schedule

TV/Internet Streaming/Radio information:

22 West Media will carry select Long Beach State men's volleyball matches on the radio.

ESPN+ will carry most home and all conference road games. All other road broadcasts will be carried by the schools respective streaming partner.

Date
time
OpponentRankArena
city
(tournament)
TelevisionScoreAttendanceRecord
(Big West Record)
1/13
7:30 p.m.
  1. 3
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
W 3–0
(25-17, 25-12, 25–14)
1,5161-0
1/14
7 p.m.
Lindenwood
  1. 3
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3–0
(25-17, 25-21, 25–17)
1,1132-0
1/20
4 p.m.
vs. LIU
  1. 3
Recreation Athletic Complex
Fairfax, VA
(East/West Coast Challenge)
W 3–0
(25-14, 25-16, 25–10)
03-0
1/21
4 p.m.
@ George Mason
  1. 3
Recreation Athletic Complex
Fairfax, VA
(East/West Coast Challenge)
ESPN+W 3–0
(25-17, 25-14, 25–16)
5864-0
1/25
4 p.m.
@ #4 Penn State
  1. 3
Rec Hall
University Park, PA
B1G+W 3–1
(18-25, 25-23, 26–24, 27-25)
7785-0
2/03
7 p.m.
  1. 12 Loyola Chicago
  1. 3
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-2
(23-25, 25-21, 25–19, 23-25, 17-15)
1,5986-0
2/09
7 p.m.
@ #4 UCLA
  1. 2
Pauley Pavilion
Los Angeles, CA
P12 LAL 0-3
(19-25, 21-25, 20-25)
2,2456-1
2/10
7 p.m.
  1. 4 UCLA
  1. 2
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+L 1-3
(25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 23-25)
4,1386-2
2/17
7 p.m.
NJIT
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
W 3-0
(25-15, 25-19, 26-24)
9927-2
2/18
7:30 p.m.
NJIT
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-19, 25-13, 25-13)
1,0768-2
3/03
7 p.m.
  1. 12 Ball State
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-1
(25-19, 25-17, 21-25, 25-15)
1,3189-2
3/10
7 p.m.
@ UC Santa Barbara*
  1. 4
The Thunderdome
Isla Vista, CA
ESPN+W 3-1
(23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-23)
31210-2
(1-0)
3/11
7 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara*
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-2
(21-25, 25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 15-11)
1,74511-2
(2-0)
3/17
10 p.m.
@ #1 Hawai'i*
  1. 4
Stan Sheriff Center
Honolulu, HI
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-20, 29-27, 25-22)
7,52712-2
(3-0)
3/18
10 p.m.
@ #1 Hawai'i*
  1. 4
Stan Sheriff Center
Honolulu, HI
ESPN+L 0-3
(16-25, 23-25, 23-25)
9,57912-3
(3-1)
3/24
7 p.m.
  1. 11 USC
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-17, 25-15, 25-23)
2,81413-3
3/25
7 p.m.
@ #11 USC
  1. 4
Galen Center
Los Angeles, CA
P12+ USCW 3-1
(25-13, 14-25, 27-25, 25-21)
87614-3
3/31
7 p.m.
@ UC San Diego*
  1. 4
LionTree Arena
La Jolla, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-22, 25-13, 25-16)
76015-3
(4-1)
4/01
7 p.m.
UC San Diego*
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-15, 25-17, 25-13)
1,41316-3
(5-1)
4/07
7 p.m.
@ #15 CSUN*
  1. 4
Premier America Credit Union Arena
Northridge, CA
ESPN+W 3-2
(25-27, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 15-9)
69617-3
(6-1)
4/08
7 p.m.
  1. 15 CSUN*
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-19, 25-18, 25-16)
1,63418-3
(7-1)
4/14
7 p.m.
  1. 5 UC Irvine*
  1. 4
Walter Pyramid
Long Beach, CA
ESPN+W 3-0
(25-18, 25-19, 25-22)
2,40919-3
(8-1)
4/15
7 p.m.
@ #5 UC Irvine*
  1. 4
Bren Events Center
Irvine, CA
ESPN+W 3-2
(22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-13)
1,65120-3
(9-1)
4/21
7:30 p.m.
@ #5 UC Irvine
(3)
  1. 4
    (2)
Bren Events Center
Irvine, CA
(Big West Tournament Semifinal)
ESPN+L 0-3
(21-25, 17-25, 20-25)
2,54320-4
5/2
2 p.m.
  1. 6 Grand Canyon
    (5)
  1. 4
    (4)
EagleBank Arena
Fairfax, VA
(NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal)
ESPN+W 3-1
(22–25, 25–17, 25–22, 25–23)
2,13921-4
5/4
2 p.m.
  1. 2 UCLA
    (1)
  1. 4
    (4)
EagleBank Arena
Fairfax, VA
(NCAA Tournament Semifinal)
NCAA.comL 0-3
(16–25, 14-25, 19-25)
3,78221-5

*-Indicates conference match.

-Indicates tournament seed.

Times listed are Pacific Time Zone.

Announcers for televised games

Rankings

^The Media did not release a Pre-season or Week 1 poll.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hawai’i picked to win 2023 Big West title in preseason poll. Off the Block. 2022-12-22.
  2. Web site: Preseason Poll and First Preseason Team Released as The Big West Looks for Fifth Straight National Champion in Men’s Volleyball . Big West Conference . 16 January 2023.
  3. Web site: 2023 LBSU Men's Volleyball Roster. longbeachstate.com. 2023-01-01.
  4. Web site: Dig this: Long Beach State’s Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero. Los Angeles Times. 2023-05-01.
  5. Web site: No. 3 Long Beach State Opens the 2023 Season against King, Lindenwood. 2023-01-12. Long Beach State athletics. 2023-01-12.