UCLA Wins 2nd Straight NCAA Men's Championship

LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 4, 2024) – Just when it seemed like Long Beach State men’s volleyball might pull off its second-straight reverse sweep, UCLA dug deep and won its second-straight NCAA Men’s Championship, beating LBSU 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 27-29, 21-25) on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid.

The championship was the 21^st in the history of UCLA men’s volleyball. The team finished the season 27-3 overall. UCLA Head Coach John Speraw got his fifth NCAA title. He had three with UC Irvine before winning the last two with the Bruins.

Long Beach State also finished the season 27-3 overall. It was the 10^th time in program history that the Beach reached the NCAA final.

Speraw will return to the gym for the U.S. Men’s National Team next week as it gears up for the Volleyball Nations League and then the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. On Saturday, he just wanted to tell the story of the Bruins.

“I’m trying hard to summarize a match like this because there were little stories that played out throughout the match,” Speraw said. “This was a hard match and a well-deserved win.”

UCLA senior outside hitter Ethan Champlin, who will join Speraw in the U.S. Men’s gym this summer, was named tournament MVP as he led the Bruins in scoring with 18.5 points on 15 kills, one solo block and five block assists.

Champlin showed strong emotions after the victory, lying on the court with his shirt over his face while his teammates celebrated together.

“I was just thinking about the past four years, the people that I’ve played with, the coaches, the experience; knowing that this was my last game with these guys,” Champlin said. “I didn’t have anything left to give in the fourth set. I was trying my best to have some energy, but I was light-headed and couldn’t feel my legs.”

Champlin was joined on the All-Tournament Team by his teammates Merrick McHenry at middle blocker and Andrew Rowan at setter.

McHenry finished with 13.5 points on 10 kills, one ace and five block assists. Rowan was credited with 46 assists.

Long Beach State Head Coach Alan Knipe, who coached the U.S. Men from 2009-12, said his team had great moments in the match, but not enough of them.

“We weren’t good enough long enough and there’s no way around that,” Knipe said. “It doesn’t define what this group has done for our program and in NCAA volleyball.

“That’s their third straight final four, two-of-three National Championship appearances. The match tonight doesn’t define them. The fight of the third set defines them. The three-straight Final Four appearances, the match against Grand Canyon, the reverse sweep against UCLA at UCLA two years ago, that is what defines them. They are champions to me.”

Long Beach State senior libero Mason Briggs, who will also train with the U.S. Men this summer, finished with seven digs and six assists.