LBSU men’s basketball assistant coach Vic Couch retires
Long Beach State assistant head coach Vic Couch announced his retirement Sunday after spending seven years with the men’s basketball team.
Couch was on medical leave during the 2013-14 season, as an unspecified illness forced him to miss action.
Head coach Dan Monson thanked Couch for his assistance over the years.
“I want to thank Vic [Couch] for his hard work and loyalty the last 14 years,” he said. “I will miss Vic [Couch]’s basketball knowledge, wisdom and wit daily — but more important than that — I think I speak for the whole Long Beach State family as we pray for his health and happiness.”
Couch has been with Monson since 2007, spending a total of 14 years in his staff. The first half of that time spent at the University of Minnesota before he and Monson came to LBSU.
LBSU track team runs past 4×400 school record
The Long Beach State women’s 4×400 relay team set a school record during the 49ers’ visit to Arizona State’s Sun Angel Stadium for the Baldy Castillo Invitational on Saturday.
Emily Cooper, Alex Kruthers, Jasmine Askew and Saedra Wright came in third place as they ran a time of 3:39:65 in the 4×400.
Askew was also a runner-up in the 400 meters, where she reached a career-best 54.72, ranking third among the 49er all-time leaders. Kruthers also came in third with 57.65, while Cooper contributed a third-place performance in the 100m with 11.95.
Dillard honored as one of AVCA’s “Thirty under 30”
Long Beach State sand volleyball head coach and assistant women’s volleyball coach Erika Dillard has been dubbed one of the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s “Thirty Under 30” winners, recognizing some of the best young coaches in the nation.
Dillard is in her fifth year as a coach at LBSU and has helped guide the women’s volleyball team to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
She served as assistant coach during the 2013 sand volleyball season and led the 49ers to the AVCA Association National Championship, where LBSU defeated Pepperdine for the title. Following her success, she was named sand volleyball head coach. So for this season, Dillard has coached the 49ers to three early victories and a top-five ranking.
Compiled by Assistant Sports Editor Anita Wang