Olympic, UCLA coach John Speraw named new CEO of USA Volleyball

Unless he hires himself, which he won’t, of course, USA Volleyball needs a new head men’s national-team coach.

For that matter, UCLA also needs a men’s coach, because John Speraw is the new CEO of USA Volleyball.

Speraw, the USA Olympic coach for the past three Games, most recently took his team to the bronze medal in Paris. Just two months before that, his UCLA team repeated as NCAA champion.

“It was a really easy choice with John, given his 35-plus years with USA Volleyball and other organizations,” said Dave Gentile, USA Volleyball board chair. “He’s going to hit the ground running with that kind of experience base and in particular his knowledge of the international scene, the national scene in the U.S., as well as how USA Volleyball operates.”

Speraw, an NCAA champion at UCLA under legendary coach Al Scates, later became his assistant. As a head coach, Speraw won three NCAA titles at UC Irvine before replacing Scates when he retired after 50 years in 2012. At UCLA, Speraw’s teams lost in the 2018 and 2022 NCAA finals before winning it all the past two years.

(Speraw’s complete biography from the UCLA website follows).

Speraw replaces Jamie Davis, who announced earlier this year that he would not be back after the Paris Olympics. Earlier Monday, we had a Q&A with Davis, who is becoming the CEO of USA Water Polo.

“My journey with USA Volleyball began in 1997 as an assistant coach for the World University Games team,” Speraw said in a USA Volleyball news release. “Reflecting on the teams, players, staff and experiences over the years, I am filled with immense gratitude. To now be entrusted with the opportunity to lead USA Volleyball as president and CEO is both a profound honor and deeply humbling.

“This journey has deepened my passion for this organization—representing our country, advancing the sport, and elevating the experience for everyone involved.

“I am sincerely grateful to the USA Volleyball Board of Directors for this honor and responsibility. I am ready to lead. I am ready to serve.”

Speraw is also the founder of First Point Volleyball, an organization dedicated to supporting the growth of boys and men’s volleyball.

“I have to tell you that he was signifcant in his vision for the future,” Gentile added. “Our expectation as a board has been to take us to the next…