(Riverside, CA) – UC Riverside Director of Athletics Stan Morrison announced today that the Highlanders have hired Ron Larsen, the assistant coach for the 2008 gold medal-winning US Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team, as UCR’s next head women’s volleyball coach. (
Listen to the Voice of the Highlanders, John Ramey, interview Larsen)
“This search has featured the most elite and decorated field of applicants for a coaching position in the history of UC Riverside athletics,” said Morrison. “Global is the only way I could describe it. We are thrilled that Ron Larsen has accepted our head coaching position. The praise heaped on him throughout his career from both the collegiate and international volleyball communities is inspiring. His ability to communicate the game to young athletes, his work ethic and his commitment to growing the sport of volleyball at all levels quickly became evident to those of us involved in this search. And it will quickly become evident to our University and the greater Riverside community that Ron Larsen is the right coach at the right time to lead the Highlanders volleyball program. We welcome him with open arms.”
Larsen comes to the Highlanders after four years as the top assistant coach for the USA Men’s National Volleyball Team. The international sporting world was introduced to Larsen most recently when he took over for Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon at the 2008 Olympic Games after McCutcheon's father-in-law was killed and his mother-in-law seriously injured by an attacker while sightseeing in Beijing, China.
Larsen coached the U.S. Men's Team to three pool play victories against Venezuela (Aug. 10; 25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10), Italy (Aug. 12; 24-26, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21) and Bulgaria (Aug. 14; 27-29, 25-21, 25-14, 26-24) before McCutcheon returned to the team, which went on to win the Olympic gold medal for the first time since 1988.
"[Coaching at UC Riverside] offers a unique opportunity,” said Larsen. “As part of the UC system, our student-athletes can expect to receive a great education, and athletically we expect to build on the volleyball program’s traditions and past success. I’m excited to get busy and jump into the whole process of making that a reality.”
Formerly the head coach of the UC San Diego men's volleyball team, Larsen was hired as an assistant coach for the USA Men on April 13, 2005.
When asked at the time what qualities he looked for in an assistant coach, McCutcheon said, "You need someone who knows how to work hard, because you put in a lot of hours. You also want them to be good in the gym. I think you also want someone who is an upstanding individual, someone with honesty, integrity and loyalty. Ron was an easy choice because he filled all of those criteria."
Prior to joining the US National Team, Larsen had head coaching stops at UC San Diego (Men’s Team, 1999-2005) and Rutgers University, Newark (Men’s and Women’s Teams, 1993-99) and was an assistant coach at UC Davis (Women’s Team, 1989-93).
The UC Riverside women’s volleyball program became a national power at the AIAW and Division II levels under the team’s first head coach, Sue Gozansky. The Highlanders won three national championships (1977, 1982 and 1986) and made 25 postseason appearances including 21 in a row from 1973-1993.