Ricci Luyties
Encyclopedia
Ricci Judson Luyties is a former American volleyball
player. He played on the UCLA men's volleyball team and was also a member of the United States men's national volleyball team
who received a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul, South Korea. Luyties later became a successful professional beach volleyball player and won 7 domestic titles. He is now the head coach at UC San Diego.
from 1976 through 1980. He was the Los Angeles
’ Player of the Year. Luyties led his team to the city finals in 1979 and 1980, placing second to Westchester High School
.
The summer of 1980 Luyties joined the Junior National volleyball team and continued to play on it each summer until he joined the United States men's national volleyball team
in 1985.
In 1983 and 1894 he was awarded All American honors, was named the Volleyball Magazine’s Player of the Year, and the NCAA Tournament
’s Most Outstanding Player
. Luyties also received all-conference honors in 1982 through 1984. He was the first men's player to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors in NCAA history. Luyties was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame
in 1995 and in 1996 his jersey (11) was retired at Pauley Pavilion
.
from 1985 to 1988 and helped secure a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul, South Korea as a setter. His jersey number was 9. Luyties was on the team as a backup setter but took over for Jeff Stork
after his injury. The Olympic team was undefeated in seven matches and was also included three other UCLA alumni: Karch Kiraly
, Steve Salmons, and Dave Saunders
.
He was also a member of the 1983 U.S. National Team who won gold in the Pan American Games
.
in July 1983 with Steve Obradovich. Luyties obtained his first win in July 1988 at the AVP tour
in Manhattan Beach, California
with his partner, Karch Kiraly
. In 1991, Luyties tallied 4 wins on the AVP tour
. One was with partner, Mike Dodd
and the other three were with his partner, Adam Johnson. Luyties had two wins with his partner, Brent Frohoff
in 1992 and 1994 at the AVP tour
.Throughout his professional beach volleyball career Luyies totaled 7 domestic titles.
in 1999 and 2000. He was also the coach of the Coast Volleyball Club Girls 16’s team, the Wind ‘N Sea Volleyball Club, the San Diego Volleyball Club Boys 17’s and Girls 15’s and 16’s teams.
Luyties began his college-coaching career as an assistant at the University of Colorado
. He coached there for three seasons and and reached the NCAA Tournament
twice. He spent six seasons coaching at Southern Mississippi with an overall record of 85 wins and 96 losses. His last season at Southern Mississippi was his most successful with an overall record of 27-5, obtaining the Golden Eagles first league title. Due to his coaching performance Luyties earned Conference USA Coach of the Year honors.
Luyties took over the head coach position at UC San Diego in 2010 and will be returning to coach the San Diego Volleyball Club Girls 18-1’s team for his second consecutive year.
He met his wife, Lorie, at a beach volleyball tournament. They currently live in San Diego, California
with their two daughters, Chloe and Lia.
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player. He played on the UCLA men's volleyball team and was also a member of the United States men's national volleyball team
United States men's national volleyball team
The United States men's national volleyball team is the national team for the United States of America, it is governed by USA Volleyball....
who received a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, South Korea. Luyties later became a successful professional beach volleyball player and won 7 domestic titles. He is now the head coach at UC San Diego.
High School Career
Luyties attended Palisades High SchoolPalisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
from 1976 through 1980. He was the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
’ Player of the Year. Luyties led his team to the city finals in 1979 and 1980, placing second to Westchester High School
Westchester High School (Los Angeles)
Westchester High School is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Local District 3.It is located in Westchester , USA, a suburban neighborhood adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport and bordered by Playa Vista to the north, Inglewood to the east, El Segundo to the...
.
The summer of 1980 Luyties joined the Junior National volleyball team and continued to play on it each summer until he joined the United States men's national volleyball team
United States men's national volleyball team
The United States men's national volleyball team is the national team for the United States of America, it is governed by USA Volleyball....
in 1985.
College Career
Luyties started for the UCLA Bruins from 1981 through 1984. He helped lead UCLA Bruins to four consecutive national titles and three straight league titles. In 1982 and 1984 the Bruins had an undefeated season with the assistance of Luyties. Throughout his career UCLA won eighty-three straight home games and had an overall record of 126 matches won and 7 lost.In 1983 and 1894 he was awarded All American honors, was named the Volleyball Magazine’s Player of the Year, and the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship is the tournament that determines the national championship of American college volleyball.The "Final Four" is a term used exclusively by NCAA Basketball but is commonly used to describe the Men's Volleyball Championship...
’s Most Outstanding Player
Most Outstanding Player
The term Most Outstanding Player may refer to:* The recipient of the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award* The NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award* The College World Series Most Outstanding Player in college baseball...
. Luyties also received all-conference honors in 1982 through 1984. He was the first men's player to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors in NCAA history. Luyties was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 1995 and in 1996 his jersey (11) was retired at Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
.
American National Team
Luyties was a member of the United States men's national volleyball teamUnited States men's national volleyball team
The United States men's national volleyball team is the national team for the United States of America, it is governed by USA Volleyball....
from 1985 to 1988 and helped secure a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, South Korea as a setter. His jersey number was 9. Luyties was on the team as a backup setter but took over for Jeff Stork
Jeff Stork
Jeffrey Malcolm Stork is a former American volleyball player. He was a member of the US national team that won the gold medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics and the bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics....
after his injury. The Olympic team was undefeated in seven matches and was also included three other UCLA alumni: Karch Kiraly
Karch Kiraly
Charles Frederick "Karch" Kiraly , is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport.-High school career:...
, Steve Salmons, and Dave Saunders
Dave Saunders (volleyball)
David Patrick Saunders is a former volleyball player form the United States, who was a member of the American Men's National Team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Four years later, when Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, he once again won a gold medal.-References:*...
.
He was also a member of the 1983 U.S. National Team who won gold in the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.
Beach Volleyball Career
Luyties played in his first beach tournament at Hermosa Beach, CaliforniaHermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach is a beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its population was 19,506 at the 2010 census, up from 18,566 at the 2000 census....
in July 1983 with Steve Obradovich. Luyties obtained his first win in July 1988 at the AVP tour
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
in Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
with his partner, Karch Kiraly
Karch Kiraly
Charles Frederick "Karch" Kiraly , is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport.-High school career:...
. In 1991, Luyties tallied 4 wins on the AVP tour
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
. One was with partner, Mike Dodd
Mike Dodd
Michael Dodd is a well-known retired professional beach volleyball player from the United States who attended San Diego State University. With his partner Mike Whitmarsh he won the silver medal in the men's inaugural beach volleyball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics...
and the other three were with his partner, Adam Johnson. Luyties had two wins with his partner, Brent Frohoff
Brent Frohoff
Brent Frohoff, born in Hermosa Beach, CA in 1963, is a retired professional beach volleyball player.-References:...
in 1992 and 1994 at the AVP tour
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
.Throughout his professional beach volleyball career Luyies totaled 7 domestic titles.
Coaching Career
Luyties was the head coach at La Jolla High SchoolLa Jolla High School
La Jolla, CA 92037 Enrollment 1,650 Colors Black & Red██ Mascot Viking Rival Schools The Bishop's School, Cathedral Catholic High School, Mission Bay High School, University City High School Homepage...
in 1999 and 2000. He was also the coach of the Coast Volleyball Club Girls 16’s team, the Wind ‘N Sea Volleyball Club, the San Diego Volleyball Club Boys 17’s and Girls 15’s and 16’s teams.
Luyties began his college-coaching career as an assistant at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
. He coached there for three seasons and and reached the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship is the tournament that determines the national championship of American college volleyball.The "Final Four" is a term used exclusively by NCAA Basketball but is commonly used to describe the Men's Volleyball Championship...
twice. He spent six seasons coaching at Southern Mississippi with an overall record of 85 wins and 96 losses. His last season at Southern Mississippi was his most successful with an overall record of 27-5, obtaining the Golden Eagles first league title. Due to his coaching performance Luyties earned Conference USA Coach of the Year honors.
Luyties took over the head coach position at UC San Diego in 2010 and will be returning to coach the San Diego Volleyball Club Girls 18-1’s team for his second consecutive year.
Personal
Luyties graduated from UCLA in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.He met his wife, Lorie, at a beach volleyball tournament. They currently live in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
with their two daughters, Chloe and Lia.