Kiraly switches to coach USA men ahead of LA 2028

USA Volleyball found an internal solution to fill the head coach position vacated by John Speraw’s transition to become the organization’s President and CEO, moving longtime women’s national team coach and volleyball legend Karch Kiraly to take over the country’s men’s team ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

It will be the first time the 63-year-old Kiraly, who won Olympic gold medals as a volleyball player in 1984 and 1988 and as a beach volleyball athlete in 1996, gets to coach men. He had been involved with the American women’s national team since 2009.

“I am thrilled beyond words at the opportunity to coach the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Kiraly said. “I’ve watched with respect and admiration for everyone in the program as they’ve pursued excellence, both in training and in competition. This opportunity shines even brighter as I fondly recall the nine seasons I spent as a player with the program. Chances to collaborate with some of the best people and players on the planet – and to represent our country while striving for incredibly difficult goals like Olympic gold medals – are precious beyond words.”

Kiraly takes the American men as the third-best national team in the FIVB World Rankings and fresh from having made it to the podium at the Paris Olympics, where they claimed the bronze medal.

The new coach will have the benefit of not having to worry about qualifying for the next Olympics as the Americans are guaranteed as the host country, but he might need to rejuvenate the squad, since multiple members of the Paris 2024 roster were unsure about the future of their international careers after the Games.

“I am thrilled that Team USA’s greatest winner will be moving from the U.S. Women’s Team to lead the U.S. Men into LA 2028,” Speraw reacted. “I have complete and total trust in Karch’s process. He has a relentless work ethic, brilliant intellect, and is a selfless teacher. All of us at USA Volleyball recognize that our record of success in the sport began when Karch led Team USA to the gold medal in 1984. I think it is fitting that when Karch steps onto the court at the LA Olympics, he will be competing with the men’s team one more time.”

Kiraly was an assistant with the American women’s national team from 2009 to 2012, when he was elevated to the head coach position. His period at the helm was the most prolific in the program’s history as under his guidance, the team secured its first Olympic (Tokyo 2020) and world (2014) titles, as well as three straight gold medals in the Volleyball Nations League (2018, 2019 and 2021), among many other podium appearances, including two at the Olympics, with silver in Paris 2024, the last time he coached the team, and bronze at Rio 2016.

“For one-quarter of my life, I’ve poured everything I have into the U.S. Women’s Team; first as an assistant, then as head coach,” he added. “Now, it’s time for new adventures and new challenges. Huge thanks to USA Volleyball for all the chances to represent the United States; to the players and staff of the U.S. Women’s Team, too many to name, who did so much of the heavy lifting over the last 16 years; and finally, to the players and staff of the Men’s Team for the chance to work alongside you.”

Kiraly’s first time coaching the USA men’s team should be in the Volleyball Nations League 2025. Until then, USA Volleyball will need to appoint a replacement for him ahead of the country’s women’s team.

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