Karch Kiraly, the greatest figure in USA Volleyball history, is going to coach the USA men.
The opening was created last month when John Speraw was hired by USA Volleyball as the president and CEO. USA Volleyball will make the announcement later Thursday.
Both Kiraly and Speraw took over as head coaches of the respective USA national teams after the 2012 Olympics.
Kiraly, not only the most decorated USA player, coached the USA women to bronze in Rio in 2016, the program’s first gold medal in 2021 in Tokyo, and this past August to silver in Paris.
Speraw, who doubled as the UCLA coach the past dozen years, led the USA men to bronze in Rio and bronze in Paris.
Kiraly was a USA women’s assistant coach from 2009 to 2012 under Hugh McCutcheon.
Speraw confirmed the move to VolleyballMag.
“It feels right that Karch Kiraly should be coaching the men in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after getting his start in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984,” Speraw said.
Kiraly, of course, was one of the best players all-time, both indoors and on the beach. Coaching the USA men is about the only thing he hasn’t done in his illustrious career.
“As the former coach of the men’s team, who has such a love for the players the program, I feel really good about leaving the men in such capable and experienced hands,” Speraw said.
“He’s the greatest of all time. He’s done it as a player and a coach and he’s going to be amazing and I know he will continue that level of success with this team.”
This is from his USA Volleyball biography:
While he’s proven to be an adept coach, Kiraly is also considered one of the greatest volleyball players ever. He was selected the greatest volleyball player of the 20th century by the FIVB and is one of four people to win a world championship as both a coach and a player (1986 – U.S. Men’s National Team). He also won Olympic gold in indoor volleyball (1984, 1988) and beach volleyball (1996). In the sand, Kiraly claimed 148 tournament victories and was named the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Most Valuable Player six times.
Collegiately, Kiraly led UCLA to a 124-5 record and three national titles during his four years. He also has been inducted into a host of Hall of Fames, including the International Volleyball Hall of Fame (2001), United States Olympic Hall of Fame (2008) and UCLA Hall of Fame (1992).
In high school, Kiraly won a Southern California Championship title and participated in the U.S. Junior National Team in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
When the Paris Olympics ended, we asked Kiraly what was next. This is from that story in August:
“I need to take a little time off,” Kiraly said with a laugh about an hour after the gold-medal match. “A little wife time, a little family time. Probably do a little glamping. I would say camping, but we like to pull a travel trailer and have a hard shell between us and the bears.
“A lot of my family was here and they had a great time. They really enjoyed the city and the people of Paris and it’s been a great experience. I didn’t go to see any other events live but certainly France put on a heck of a Games.”
While we spoke, outgoing USA CEO Jamie Davis stood alongside.
I asked Kiraly if he’s coming back as the coach.
“I would say that’s a possibility,” he replied. “We have some things to figure out. USA Volleyball has some things to figure out. We have our great CEO on his way out,” Kiraly said, nodding to Davis, “finishing up at the end of September. There’s a search going on right now and from my best understanding USA Volleyball is doing the wise thing and waiting to get that checked off before they figure out other things, like who will coach the women and who will coach the men and if people like me and John return.”
John is John Speraw. He, too, was an Olympics assistant before taking over as head coach of the men leading into 2016.
“I think that’s a wise move and the right order to allow the new CEO to be a significant part of that process.”
We did not know at the time that Speraw would, in fact, become that new CEO. And now he has to hire a USA women’s coach.
