LBSU senior All-Americans TJ DeFalco, Josh Tuaniga, and Kyle Ensing are as good as any top three players on any NCAA team in any sport.<\/p>\n
DeFalco and Tuaniga have won the last two AVCA National Player Of The Year awards, and Ensing will once again be the best opposite hitter in the country. DeFalco and Ensing also spent last summer as starters for the U.S. Men\u2019s National Team as the only two collegiate players to make the squad.<\/p>\n
“They\u2019re what you hoped they\u2019d be coming in,\u201d Long Beach State head coach Alan Knipe said of the epic recruiting class that has made three NCAA Final Four appearances.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat core group has a commitment,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019m excited for our school and our community to get to see them again.\u201d<\/p>\n
DeFalco has won every major award since arriving in Long Beach for the 2016 season, including multiple Player of the Year honors. The outside hitter has collected 1,360 kills, 642 digs, 244 total blocks and 131 service aces at LBSU. DeFalco had the chance to depart for a lucrative pro contract overseas, but wanted to finish his career with his teammates.<\/p>\n
Tuaniga is the best setter in the country. He also won every major award at LBSU, including the 2018 AVCA Player of the Year, while averaging 10.93 assists per set in 98 career matches played. Tuaniga played in the NCAA Final Four last year on what turned out to be a partially torn patellar tendon, and gave his personal championship trophy award to the LBSU athletic training staff for helping him stay on the floor.<\/p>\n
“If you really want to be great and have success it takes a different kind of person at this level, and we all feel that way,\u201d Tuaniga said. \u201cEvery opportunity we have we want to take hold of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ensing took his game to the next level last season while improving to 3.55 kills, 0.85 blocks and 4.34 points per set. Sometimes the opposite hitter doesn\u2019t get as many chances to attack the net, but Ensing made it count with a .355 hitting percentage. LBSU broke its own NCAA record with a .379 team hitting percentage.LBSU also returns All-American middle blockers Nick Amado and Simon Anderson, as well as starting libero Jordan Molina, an LBCC alum. The only new starter will be the second outside hitter, where Louis Richard has been a bright spot so far.<\/p>\n Knipe has pulled out all of the stops to have this recruiting class in this situation, and he\u2019s also created new ways to keep his team focused. He even showed them a documentary about the Blue Angels during the offseason to emphasize attention to detail.<\/p>\n However, the biggest compliment Knipe\u2019s program could\u2019ve gotten was the return of DeFalco, Tuaniga and Ensing. Although there were professional opportunities overseas while preparing for U.S. National Team duties, they\u2019re back at LBSU ready to grind through another season with a details oriented coach who also has international experience.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of guys who\u2019d say if I\u2019m eyeing the Tokyo Olympics, why am I in the Gold Mine at 4 p.m. on Wednesday with Alan again in the Fall listening to him talk to freshmen?\u201d Knipe joked. \u201cThe nice thing is they\u2019re super excited about this season. It wasn\u2019t a foregone conclusion that they\u2019d come back.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the credit for building such a complete and accomplished roster goes to Knipe\u2019s coaching staff full of alums like Nick MacRae and Scott Touzinsky. Knipe, the 2018 AVCA National Coach of the Year, also won the national championship as a player at LBSU.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a reason every single guy on my staff has graduated from Long Beach State,\u201d Knipe said. \u201cIt\u2019s about us, and who better to teach these guys the Long Beach State way to do it than guys who have walked in their shoes? In the heat of the moment, there is no doubt. When they look at a coach they know they\u2019ve actually been in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Ensing-970x1358.jpg\")
<\/a>2. It\u2019s a family affair<\/strong><\/h5>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Knipe-970x1358.jpg\")
<\/a>