Long Beach State opens the 2010 men’s volleyball season this week in Santa Barbara when the 49ers take part in the Elephant Bar Restaurant Collegiate Invitational. The Beach faces California Baptist in its first match at 11 a.m. on Thursday. LBSU will then face the winner of the UC Santa Barbara-Cal State Northridge match on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. The Beach wraps up the tournament Friday when they will play at either 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., or 6:30 p.m. depending how the 49ers fared in Thursday’s first two matches.

The Beach is loaded with experience heading into the 2010 men’s volleyball season. Senior Dean Bittner, a first-team All-American and first-team All-MPSF pick, headlines a roster that returns a starter at every position except libero. Bittner is a candidate to become Long Beach State’s third national player of the year, joining Brent Hilliard (1992) and Paul Lotman (2008). Joining Bittner will be 2008 All-American middle blocker Dan Alexander, as well as Jim Baughman, Mike Klipsch, Josh Riley, Kyle Friend and Tommy Pestolesi (all of who started at some point last season).

Seniors Dean Bittner and Dan Alexander and junior Mike Klipsch head into the season among the all-time leaders on the career records lists at Long Beach State. Bittner ranks eighth all-time in career kills with 1,370, while Klipsch is fifth in career assists with 2,923 and Alexander is 10th in career blocks with 369. Bittner also has the fifth most matches with 20+ kills with 29, while Alexander has the fifth most matches with 10+ blocks at LBSU with seven. 

Reports From LBSU