Back in May, Walter Pyramid once again hosted the final matches of the NCAA Men’s Volleyball season, and a national champion was crowned in Long Beach.
Unfortunately for the Beach, they ended up on the losing side of the championship match, falling to UCLA 25-21, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21. The victory gave the Bruins their 21st national title in men’s volleyball and second in a row.
Despite the defeat, there was a terrific atmosphere inside Walter Pyramid, showcasing a high level of volleyball not just from the finalists, but from all teams involved.
““It was an amazing environment all tournament long, tonight was two really good teams who had really good seasons and really talented players,” said LBSU coach Alan Knipe. “This doesn’t define what this group has done for our program and for NCAA volleyball.”
Reported attendance for the final was 3,804, with both fan bases heavily represented. This was the fourth time Walter Pyramid has hosted the men’s volleyball national championships. The Beach won it all on their home floor back in 2019 but were unable to repeat the feat five years later.
“This is by far the best supported season in Long Beach State history and we really appreciate it,” said Knipe. “The students and everyone who came out love this team…they were absolutely amazing. Our student section was by far the best in college volleyball. They need to know how much the team talked about it and appreciate it.”
It remains to be seen when the national championships might return to Long Beach State, but it won’t be until 2029 at the earliest, with host sites already announced through the 2028 season.
