Now playing, CalRep's “Carrie: The Musical” marks the end of the Halloween season this week.
Read more on Page 6
ON THE COVER
DELFINO CAMACHO/Long Beach Current
Fourth-year theater performance major Bobby Brannon, playing Margaret White, gives a terrifying rendition during the cast's first big musical number, “And Eve Was Weak," during an Oct. 22 tech and dress rehearsal for "Carrie: The Musical," which premiered Friday, Oct. 24.
CHARLOTTE LOCICERO/Long Beach Current George Allen Field will be the location of Long Beach State's spring 2026 commencement ceremonies.
Commencement moves to George Allen Field
BY ISABELLA GARCIA AND GRACE LAWSON Managing Editor and Community Engagement Editor
The spring 2026 commencement will be held at George Allen Field from May 17 to 23, the university announced on the website’s commencement page.
Due to scheduling challenges between Long Beach State and Major League Baseball, the university changed its commencement location
Land acknowLedgment
from Angel Stadium for the first time since 2021.
George Allen Field is located on the northeast corner of campus, next to parking lots G12, G13 and G14.
“We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our graduates in this traditional and spacious setting,” the university said in the announcement.
Additional information regarding commencement, including ticket counts and RSVP updates, will be available once all graduation applications are submitted and a headcount can be reviewed, according to the university's commencement page.
Here at the Long Beach Current we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place.” We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.
We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.
We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.
editoriaLs: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinions of the Long Beach Current are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Long Beach Current.
Letter PoLicy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Long Beach Current reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
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Students, faculty provide insights into Prop. 50 special election
BY SEAN BOWEN
Contributor
Associated Students, Inc. Lobby Corps and the League of Women Voters hosted a forum on the Nov. 4 California special election, highlighting the impact of Proposition 50.
At the Oct. 22 event, tenured professor Som Chounlamountry spoke in favor of a yes vote, while full-time lecturer Alex Lohman spoke in favor of a no vote. Both teach political science at Long Beach State.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Election Rigging Response Act on Aug. 21, a legislative package designed as a direct response to President Donald Trump and Texas Republicans aiming to gain seats and control the House.
“Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and thanks to the hard work of the California legislature, they will have a choice to fight back and bring much needed accountability to Trump’s efforts to undermine the democratic process,” Newsom said in the press release.
If approved, the Election Rigging Response Act, widely known as Prop. 50, would authorize temporary changes to California’s congressional districts that would begin in 2026 and continue until 2030. California could gain up to five congressional seats, allowing Democrats to control the House.
“This is what Gavin Newsom calls fighting fire with fire,” Chounlamountry said. “Republicans have seemed to push for redistricting to favor the outcome for Republicans and conservatives.”
If rejected, districts would remain the same until new ones are drawn out in 2030. Some may argue that it takes control away from California citizens and that they should do the redistricting.
“This is not politics, this is about control of Congress and what happens next in our democracy,” Lohman said.
CHARLOTTE LOCICERO/Long Beach Current
CSULB political science professor Som Chounlamoutry speaks about what it means to vote yes on Prop. 50 in Lecture Hall 151 on Oct. 22.
Recognizing the pivotal role of an informed electorate, ASI Chief Legislative Officer Carlos Orozco emphasizes the influence that the CSULB student body can exert in the special election.
“Having an informed voter is very important,” Orozco said. “At a school of nearly 40,000 students, our school has the opportunity to make a great impact.”
Echoing Orozco’s sentiments, marketing major and first-time voter Sophia
Nicholas also highlights the significant impact that CSULB student voters can have in the upcoming election.
“As a new voter, I’m neutral on things, but it is important,” Nicholas said. “With a large number of commuter students, depending on which way they lean on Proposition 50, they could affect the outcome of the election.”
As students and younger voters continue to weigh in on the debate, aero-
space major Henry Lee expressed cautious optimism about the direction the proposition could go if passed.
“Even if this doesn’t fix everything, I want this to be a good first step for anything,” Lee said. “It is very much a right versus left thing, but I haven’t seen anything about gerrymandering.”
Students who are not registered to vote or are unsure of their registration status can visit csulb.edu/vote.
Faculty, local nonprofit share tips on immigration defense
BY DUPREE DE LA PENA Contributor
As Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids surge through local communities, Long Beach faculty members and a nonprofit organization are teaching the campus community about their rights and resources.
California Faculty Association’s Long Beach chapter and ÓRALE collaborated to inform the community and increase a sense of support at their workshop at the Anatol Center on Oct. 22.
The groups discussed available community resources, what to do during encounters with ICE and how to respond safely.
ÓRALE is a Long Beach-based organization that helps immigrants understand their rights.
“ÓRALE is a well-known organization within Long Beach. We’ve attended various other workshops and ÓRALE is really targeted specifically in our area,” retired California Faculty Association member and CSULB professor Deborah Hamm said.
Hamm said the partnership of the workshop is authentic and relevant to ICE raids in local communities. She said ÓRALE has a strong reputation for its community-driven work that the Long Beach community can trust.
ÓRALE community organizers Denisse Tapia and Erik Garcia talked about community defense networks, rapid response systems and emphasized securing documents while also highlighting the importance of self-risk assessment.
ÓRALE, previously known as the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition, was established in 2006 after the May Day March in Los Angeles.
The organization has gone through changes, shifting its focus to immigrant justice during the past few years. In 2023, ÓRALE rebranded with a new name: Organizing Rooted in Abolition, Liberation, and Empowerment.
REHANSA KULATILLEKE/Long Beach Current ÓRALE's community organizer, Erik Garcia, discusses the importance of defense networks made for the community at the Anatol Center on Oct. 22.
specifically on economic justice, health and wellness, and organizing policy change,” Garcia said.
anything since. We're gonna provide our own guidelines, that's where we are right now.”
“ÓRALE is building and sustaining a thriving immigrant-led movement to end criminalization of immigrants and secure bold protections and opportunities that allow immigrant communities to thrive,” their website says.
Garcia, organizing and program director for ÓRALE, shared why immigrant justice organizations are important and how ÓRALE is striving to provide important knowledge for communities on how to handle potential ICE encounters.
“Over the past five years, we’ve rebranded for something more fit for our people. With revamping of prioritization on our principles and values, we focus
ÓRALE has aimed to engage with the community by scheduling presentations with other groups, churches, and campuses to establish better communication systems for community action when ICE gets sighted.
Claire Garrido-Ortega, co-president of the California Faculty Association’s Long Beach chapter, has met with labor management to share the community's demands for better ICE alert systems, along with improved information on faculty pages.
“The information that’s presented is overall vague and confusing,” Garrido-Ortega said, referring to the new statewide law that mandates for communities and universities when ICE is on campus. “They’re acting like nothing happened; right here at the car wash on the corner near campus it’s happened. We gave them two weeks to develop something, but haven't heard
At the workshop, faculty volunteers welcomed attendees and provided pizza, drinks and flyers with important information, as well as how to reach out for help.
James Matthews, CSULB instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, attended the event to learn how to help families facing hardships due to immigration.
“ÓRALE had a lot of positive and uplifting messages, reminding us of our rights, as well as what we should do if ICE presents itself,” Matthews said.“I hope to attend another event, I feel informed and more aware on how to assist and give hope.”
‘Reporting from Uvalde’ event to highlight mental health in journalism
Long Beach State professor Jesús Ayala shares his insights from an over 20-year career in the Golden Mike-winning documentary screening on campus on Oct. 30.
BY ANNA KUCHISON News Assistant
“Lessons from Uvalde” is a one-night campus event screening of the awardwinning documentary film titled “Reporting from Uvalde,” on Oct. 30. The event will feature a panel discussion with the journalists behind the film, moderated by ABC7 Eyewitness News reporter Sid Garcia.
The film is directed by Long Beach State alumna and KOLD Tucson reporter Raya Torres, and produced by Jesús Ayala, a CSULB journalism and public relations professor with over 20 years of experience.
The film follows the story of news reporters who reported on the 2022 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that claimed the lives of 17 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
For Ayala, producing this film hit close to home because of his own experiences as a news reporter.
He covered several tragic events throughout his career, including Hurricane Katrina, the 2012 Aurora, the Colorado theater shooting and the war in Afghanistan, all of which have deeply affected him.
Ayala emphasized that covering traumatic events often takes a significant toll on the mental health of journalists, a topic that is not sufficiently addressed within the industry.
“When first responders witness a traumatic event, they are not allowed to return to work until they have a debrief with a psychologist,” Ayala said. “When journalists witness these events, we don’t have that. Because we don’t have this, we have to give ourselves that debrief.”
Awarded the 2025 Gold Mike for Best Documentary, “Reporting from Uvalde” explores how covering traumatic events, such as mass shootings, can affect journalists’ mental health.
Ayala said covering Uvalde was especially difficult for many journalists who reported on it, as they had personal connections to the tragedy’s victims.
“One of the things that was so hard about Uvalde is that it happened in such a tight-knit community,” Ayala said. “The reporters had this happen in their backyard. As a journalist, you’re expected to be impartial, fair and balanced, but how can you be expected to do that when your neighbor’s kid was one of the people that was gunned down?”
Ayala hopes that through documentaries like these, students interested in journalism will learn about the toll that the profession can take on their mental health.
Director and CSULB alumnus Raya Torres and producer Jesús Ayala, a journalism professor at Long Beach State, were honored with the Golden Mike Award for Best Documentary for "Reporting from Uvalde."
“As journalists, you might end up at a mass shooting, and you don’t realize that you’re going to be interviewing parents who just lost their kids. There’s really nothing that can prepare you for that,” Ayala said. “These aren’t the types of things that necessarily get addressed in journalism school. They teach you how to write a lead or to produce a TV story,
but not about the mental component.”
The Oct. 30 event, hosted by the CSULB Journalism and Public Relations department, will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Lecture Hall 151.
The evening will include a red carpet ceremony, a screening of the film, a Q&A session with the filmmakers and a reception afterward.
Photo courtesy of Jesús Ayala
ARTS & LIFE
Telekinetic terror awaits as CalRep adapts Stephen King’s
Carrie
STORY AND PHOTOS
BY DELFINO CAMACHO Arts & Life Editor
Just when you thought you were safe from prom season. Objects fly, people die and blood hits the stage in “Carrie: The Musical,” California Repertory Company’s latest big stage production.
An epic rock-and-roll, effects-filled adaptation of the Stephen King novel that splattered onto the University Theater for its debut on Friday, Oct. 24.
Showings of “Carrie: The Musical” will continue next week, running from Oct. 29 through Halloween, Oct. 31.
The story follows bullied teenager Carrie White, who develops telekinetic powers after a traumatizing incident, leading to bloody results.
The trio of Michael Gore on music, Dean Pitchford on lyrics, and Lawrence Cohen on the stage script are credited with the original adaptation, the creation of which is a story unto itself.
“The Broadway production premiered in the '80s, and it was a massive flop. It only lasted a few performances,” director and Long Beach State alumnus Daniel Nakawatase said. “It was revived in the 2010s [and] that is the version that people currently do out in the world.”
With its final show date scheduled for Halloween, Nakawatase decided to lean more into the musical’s scarier themes. While humor still pops up, the production avoids some of the campier elements present in other versions.
That approach meant fully committing to the technical elements that a story like “Carrie” demands, a feat few university theaters attempt.
Nakawatase said while tech effects present in “Carrie,” like moving furniture, flying books and other supernatural “illusions” are common for outside productions, they are uncommon on an academic level.
“With specific regard to Cal State Long Beach, this is a much bigger show than they typically do, and so we’ve had to rely on the crew a lot more here,” Nakawatase said. “It’s a new experience for the students, so that’s been a fantastic learning opportunity for them to really dive into how these things operate.”
When asked if the special effects changed his directing style, Nakawatase, who directed the much more tongue-in-cheek musical “Urinetown” last year, said yes and no.
“Carrie in particular relies a lot on the technical elements, so during this dress rehearsal and tech week process, we’ve spent a lot of time working those effects so that they can integrate naturally with the actors’ performances,” he said. “It’s like an additional scene partner for them.”
That sentiment ran especially true for fourth-year theater performance major Natalie Quinn, who stars as Carrie White in her final CalRep show.
Quinn gave a lot of credit to the tech crew, saying the effects helped with her acting process.
“It really did feel like magic to me, because we didn’t start with the illusions until a week ago. The entire rehearsal process, I was excited to see how these things came to life,” Quinn
said. “That is the beauty of the tech world, they make everything happen.”
Quinn said her version of Carrie is largely inspired by King’s original 1974 novel rather than the film versions. She used Carrie’s interior dialogue, provided by King, when making character choices.
“I really enjoyed the book. It’s creepy, it’s weird, the way that it’s written. Stephen King is crazy,” she said.
Aya Sherian plays Sue Snell, the only classmate to show remorse after bullying Carrie. Sherian previously worked with Nakawatase when she starred as Hope in "Urinetown," another conflicted character.
“I tend to get cast and gravitate towards characters that are stuck in the middle oftentimes and don’t really
know where they fit in the world, but try their best to navigate it,” Sherian said.
If Sherian’s adaptation of Sue represents guilt and growth, then fourthyear actor Bobby Brannon’s adaptation of Margaret White, Carrie’s deeply religious and domineering mother, represents fear.
Brannon transforms into a genuinely terrifying presence in their role, evident in their first big musical number, “And Eve Was Weak.”
Brannon plays Margaret as a woman warped by faith and trauma. Brannon says they are drawn to oppositional characters but insists it’s important to never view them as “villains,” as people rarely view themselves as such.
ARTS & LIFE
Fourth-year theater performance
Long Beach State student actors Ess Arensdorf (as mean girl Chris Jargensen) and Alexander Shearer (as bully Billy Nolan) during the “World According to Chris” musical number during an Oct. 22 tech and dress rehearsal for Carrie: The Musical.
major Bobby Brannon as Margaret White embraces Natalie Quinn, who plays her telecentric daughter Carrie White during an Oct. 21 tech and dress rehearsal for "Carrie: The Musical."
Real (fake) blood pours down on student actors Natalie Quinn and Lukas Carlson during an Oct. 21 tech and dress rehearsal for Carrie: The Musical. The show features lots of technical stunts and illusions.
ARTS & LIFE
Members of the CSULB AI Research Club that participated in the AI club's Datathon in March of last spring semester, worked late into the night.
Rising tech meets rising talent in CSULB's AI Research Club
BY SEAN MENTZER AND JAYDE BEAUDRY Contributors
Ask Long Beach State’s AI Research Club president about the future of artificial intelligence, and you'll receive an honest answer.
"AI is bad. AI is making people lazy. True. It's true," Soroush Mirzaee, club president, said. "But the thing is: it's a new tool. And if we don't embrace it and if we don't use it properly, it's going to eat us out."
The second-year computer science major was born and raised in Iran, first venturing into the world of coding thanks to his love of video games.
"My journey as a programmer began when me and my childhood best friend used to make mods for this truck simulator game,” he said. “We used to make [custom] accessories for trucks. He was a 3D artist, and I liked to get my fingers dirty."
From those early days, Mirzaee was hooked. And after moving to the U.S. at age 19, Mirzaee enrolled at Golden West
College, splitting time between teaching and tutoring kids in AI machine learning and the programming language Python.
That tutoring background would come in handy later, when Mirzaee first met and helped teach the student who became the club's future vice president.
While searching for a subject that would pique his interest, Jason Ramirez discovered the AI Research Club by accident. Just like the technology it promotes, the club is relatively new, first established in spring of 2024.
"When I first joined AI Club, I didn't even know what AI was," Ramirez said.
The learning curve has been long for Ramirez, who credits Mirzaee and other, former club members for encouraging him to take up a leadership position.
"I've been, like, kind of going down that rabbit hole ever since,” Ramirez said. “I just decided to apply for the vice president position and worked hard towards that, and here I am."
Now serving as president and vice president of the CSULB AI Club, Mirzaee and Ramirez know the use and promotion of AI comes with a lot of justified criticism and poses real threats to the computer science industry.
Mirazee, however, believes a changing industry offers new opportunities.
“Embrace it. If you know how to use your tools, it's going to be okay. Don't reject, accept what is coming and let's do it.” Mirzaee said.
This year, the AI club will put their skills to work once again, with about 25 active members harnessing AI machine learning to improve the lives of students across campus.
Last semester, the club tackled two main projects: Shark-GPT and Blinky.
Blinky, a facial recognition app programmed to prove its concept was possible, allowed users to swap tickets and passwords for a simple face identification.
Still operational to this day, SharkGPT is an AI chatbot on the CSULB website.
The AI club was responsible for organizing over 40,000 sublinks and creating a friendly user interface for students to easily find information about classes, programs and answers to campus-related questions.
"You can ask it any question about the school, about your major, to answers you might not find on a very basic webpage,” Mirzaee said. “It will find that information for you and list it, just like how ChatGPT works, but specifically designed for our school.”
Following the successful builds of Shark-GPT and Blinky, Mirzaee and Ramirez have their sights set on more exciting projects in the fall.
"We do plan on hosting more workshops, more interactives, things to teach more about the subject of AI and machine learning, but also to help out those computer science students that want to get started with actual experience," Ramirez said.
A partnership with the engineering and biology departments is in the works to apply predictive machine learning to ongoing research projects.
Also in progress is planning for this year's AI club's Datathon, an event where individuals and teams are given a set of data to solve a problem. Last year, the event drew over 100 participants.
Most importantly, though, Mirzaee and Ramirez hope to spread awareness about the benefits of artificial intelligence in everyday life.
"We want to make sure everybody has the ability to learn and know what the possibilities are and they don't know just AI as ChatGPT and that's it," Mirzaee said. "Because there are a lot of things that you can do with this beautiful thing and we're on a mission to just make sure that happens."
Photo courtesy of Jason Ramirez
Boo-ze flows freely as Long Beach gets wicked at first Fright Fest
BY SKYLAR STOCK
Video Editor
On a Long Beach street, Leatherface shuffled his feet to the beat, holding a drink in one hand and a knife in the other.
Members of DC Comics’ Teen Titans sang their hearts out to a Limp Bizkit cover band.
Pine Avenue was packed as far as the eye could see, filled with ghouls on stilts and ghosts in sheets.
This wasn’t a fever dream—it was a Fright Fest, a free all-day event hosted by Downtown Long Beach Alliance on Saturday, Oct. 25.
A night centered on bops, boos and booze, Fright Fest united party-goers from all walks of life to enjoy the new EZ Sip program at Downtown Long Beach.
“It’s a beautiful thing, I think it’s long overdue on this part of town,” Long Beach resident BJ James said, while dressed in a deviled egg costume.
Attendees danced to DJs and live music, bar-hopped, bought from vendors and fought to see who had the best costume.
The block party secured around
DIEGO PEREZ/Long Beach Current
Payton Luna performs with the “Aerial Butterflies” during the Silks Show at Fright Fest on Oct. 25 on Pine Avenue in Downtown Long Beach.
4,000 Eventbrite RSVPs, according to Asia Morris, communications and marketing manager at DTLB Alliance.
When asked how many people were in the crowd, an LBPD officer replied, “A ton.”
The event is part of the City of Long Beach’s “entertainment zone” one-year pilot program, spurred by the 2024 Senate Bill 969, which allows open drinking within cities and counties.
Each participating establishment was identified by a color-coded sticker on its beverage cups, allowing drinks to go beyond its walls.
EZ Sip is a pilot initiative aimed at boosting foot traffic to local businesses and fostering connections within the community, including among residents and commuters eager to explore what Long Beach has to offer.
While El Monte resident Xandra Gomez decided against dressing up, her friend invited her to Fright Fest, using the open-drinking concept as a pitch.
“Immediately she told me and I was like, ‘shut up. I’m there,’” Gomez said. “This feels very Long Beach to me, honestly, there’s always some weird s--going on.”
Quiet at first, patrons soon filled the restaurants and bars along The
Promenade North strip, including The Ordinarie Tavern, which is currently hosting its month-long Halloween popup, “The Black Lagoon.”
The bar’s specialty drinks, such as “Nocturna Colada” and “Corpse Flower,” made their way outside, filling the street with a buzz of excitement.
“It’s like New Orleans down here, you can get your drinks and walk around on the streets,” Christy Caldwell, the owner of The Ordinarie Tavern, said.
While the July pilot party included only The Promenade, the induction of Fright Fest expanded the fun into Pine Avenue.
DTLB Association transformed the street from an asphalt surface into a free, festival-like experience. Vendors, hosted by the Halloween Depot, radiated spooky spirit as they sold Halloween must-have items, including treats, clothes and decor.
Yari Ramos moved to Long Beach from San Diego months ago and was looking for events to connect with the community.
“What I’m getting from this is that everyone is welcome no matter what,” Ramos said, dressed as a tiger. “It’s a judgment-free zone.”
While alcohol was present, Ramos
said people still maintained a levelheaded attitude that made it a familyfriendly environment.
At the corner of Pine Avenue and East 3rd Street, crowds of ghouls stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the main stage, matching the DJ’s energy.
Brittny Doty showed off her dance moves in a gothic pinstripe dress, beer in hand. Doty came from a small area in upstate New York, 10 minutes from the Canadian border.
“If you are not from this area and you follow anything with the media, you are under the influence that Los Angeles, in particular, is a very unsafe and violent area against ICE right now, and that everybody is just completely off the scales with violence,” Doty said. “That’s not the case at all.”
This was her first impression of Long Beach, coming from a “small, sheltered town,” she highlighted the importance of going outside of her bubble.
“Everybody is peaceful and together and promotes acceptance and openmindedness and love. Regardless of what your walk of life is, you should be accepted,” she said.
For future EZ Sip events, check out the EZ Sip website and DTLB Association’s page for updates.
ARTS & LIFE
3 spooky bars to visit this Halloween seaon
BY JAIME DE HARO Contributor
As Halloween creeps closer, bars across Long Beach and neighboring cities transform into eerie escapes, offering frightening atmospheres, wicked times, and themed cocktails and dishes.
Whether you’re looking to lounge with your ghouls, slither into a tropical paradise or dance ‘til you’re dead, here are three bars and restaurants offering trick and treats this October.
1) The Black Lagoon at The Ordinarie
Location: 210 The Promenade N, Long Beach, CA 90802; a 15-minute drive from campus
Known for its classy atmosphere and signature cocktails, The Ordinaire has transformed into the “Black Lagoon” popup this month, featuring decorations in-
The Bad Moon Rising cocktail (left) is made with lime, hibiscus and cinnamon-infused rum, finished with a dash of Angostura bitters and garnished with lychee and a cherry on a cocktail pick ($16). The drink offers a sweet yet spiced flavor, and its color complements the bar’s theme. Another cocktail sits blurred in the background.
spired by Beetlejuice, flickering green and purple lights, creepy fabric hanging from the ceiling, live music and chilling cocktails.
Guests can enjoy “cult classics,” including the hatch chili mac and cheese, consisting of cavatappi pasta prepared with white cheddar and topped with crispy onions for $14.
Popular drink option Nocturna Colada is made with Kraken black and gold rums, passionfruit, coconut, pineapple, black coffee liqueur and Bitter Queens Coffee Cardamom Bitters.
Six concoctions complete The Ordinaire’s seasonal cocktail menu, served in themed glassware, including a mermaid corpse and a skeleton glass with wrapped in snakes.
“It’s a really fun time for us,” Chris Serrano, a bartender at The Ordinarie, said. “People come in wanting to experience something they can’t get many other places.”
The Ordinarie remains The Black Lagoon through Nov. 2 and transforms into Miracle, a Christmas-themed pop-up, on Nov. 7.
Hours: Every day from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
2) The Tremble Club at The Bamboo Club
Location: 3522 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA 90804; a 6-minute drive from campus
In October, The Bamboo Club, a tiki bar known for its tropical cocktails and atmosphere, transforms into The Tremble Club – its spooky alter ego.
The bar invites guests into a haunted oasis surrounded by flickering torches, mermaid corpses, tangled spider webs and the distant echo of tiki drums.
“One morning, maybe a week before October, about 10 people on the team will come in and decorate,” Savanna Galla-Rini, a bartender at the bar, said.
Guests can sip on seasonal cocktails, including the bad moon rising – a bloodred mix of lime, hibiscus and cinnamon-infused rum, finished with a dash of Angostura bitters and garnished with lychee and cherry for $16.
“It’s always fun to think of different themes, “ Galla-Rini said. “This year, we did a monster theme, so all the drinks reference different monsters.”
The limited-time menu features 11 options, each with an eerie twist and price.
The Bamboo Club will remain The Tremble Club through Nov. 2.
Hours:
Monday and Tuesday: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday: 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
3) Beyond the Grave: Halloween Pop-up Bar
Location: 11402 Old River School Road, Downey, CA 90241: a 22-minute drive from campus
Rising from the ground, this pop-up bar in Downey dares guests to celebrate the Halloween season with photo-ops, cocktails, smashburgers and a dim-lit foggy dance floor.
Props, animatronics and decorations
inspired by everything from “Stranger Things” and “Jaws” to Halloween classics like werewolves, skeletons, clowns, spiders and jack-o-lanterns fill every inch of the bar.
The space features two separate bars on opposite sides of the building and a DJ.
Guests can enjoy the “I know what you did last summer” cocktail, summoned with Bacardi rum, Chinola passionfruit, pineapple aperol and lime juice, then shaken and served over ice and garnished with a fang gummy and festive picks for $17.
The menu features 13 themed cocktails, three skull bowls, Jell-O-shots, mocktails, beer options and wine.
The bare menu includes five themed smashburgers, wings and sides like fries and mozzarella sticks.
“I’ve always loved themed menus, whether that’s for Halloween, Christmas or Valentine’s Day, I like to go all out,” general manager and lead bartender Manny Nieves said.
The “Beyond the grave” pop-up bar will run through Nov. 1 and will transform to Santa’s Hideout, its famous Christmas pop-up, next month.
Prices: Thursday and Sunday: $13 (by reservation) Friday and Saturday: $18 (by reservation) Reservations can be made online through Eventbrite.
Hours: Thursday to Sunday: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Photos by JAIME DE HARO/Long Beach Current
Bar patrons sit at The Ordinarie’s bar as bartenders prepare drinks on Oct. 19, while a local band performs live in the background.
From flutes and tubas to cymbals and snare drums, over 100 Long Beach State concert band musicians filled the Gerald R. Daniel Recital Hall with vibrant, eerie notes for the music department’s annual Halloween-themed “Spooktacular” concert on Oct. 21.
Associate director of bands Adam Friedrich oversaw and MC’d the show, which was the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music Concert Band’s first performance of the year.
The show was held in collaboration with the Hughes Middle School Wind Ensemble, conducted by Sivory Chastain-Castellanos.
The ensemble opened the show with a series of pieces, including the “Skeleton Crawl.” Tracing its roots back to New Orleans jazz, the piece is spooky-themed yet whimsical and lighthearted, and included student musicians clapping and chanting.
The Hughes Middle School Wind Ensemble concluded its performance with a medley from “Wicked,” including “No One Mourns the Wicked,” “ I’m Not That Girl,” “Defying Gravity,” “No Good Deed” and “For Good.”
“One of the true joys of being here at a school like this is we get to offer opportunities to schools within our community,” Friedrich said after the ensemble’s performance.
Conducted by Bob Cole Conservatory
REHANSA
of Music graduate students David Blackinton, Matthew Garza, Benjamin Maley and Jennifer Sosa, the concert band took the stage after intermission to perform “Night Dances,” with slow notes mimicking a haunting bell chime.
Other pieces performed by the concert band were “Danse Macabre,” based on the tale of skeletons rising from their graves to dance at midnight on Halloween, and “Cycle of the Werewolf,” inspired by the Stephen King novel of the same name.
The concert band concluded the show with a sinister, cinematic medley from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which included “Christmas Eve Montage” and “This is Halloween.”
Maley, conductor of “Night Dances,” made his conducting debut at the “Spooktacular” show. He described his experience as nerve-wracking yet invigorating, recalling his racing heart as he got off the stage.
Maley said hearing the audience cheer as he and other performers bowed was reason to celebrate and made everything worth it.
“All that accomplishment and all that time and energy that people don’t see in the rehearsal hours, in the evenings,” he said.
For fourth-year clarinet player and sociology major Sage Florez, getting to know the five conductors of the “Spooktacular” concert was the highlight of preparing for the show.
Hughes
School
“It was really cool working with a bunch of different directors,” Florez said. “Normally, I’ve only ever worked with one or two directors at a time, so getting to know five different people, their personalities and how they conduct individually was a great experience.”
Some concert band performers, including second-year clarinet art studio major Amadeus Duenas, performed in costume. Duenas performed in a leather jacket and
face paint inspired by the rock band Kiss. He said he enjoyed seeing his fellow performers wear costumes and feeling that he made a positive impact on the Hughes Middle School students who performed.
“Some of them went up to us and they were like ‘Wow, you guys did great,’” Duenas said. “So it was just cool to see that.”
Middle
performed songs from the musical “Wicked” at the Gerald R. Daniel Recital Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Sivory Chastain-Castellanos conducted “Skeleton Crawl” during the beginning of the “Spooktacular” concert at the Gerald R. Daniel Recital Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Photos by
KULATILLEKE/Long Beach Current
OPINION
Why dressing up for Halloween in college feels like a ghost town
BY CHRISTIAN ROBLEDO Contributor
Halloween used to be simple. Kids would pick out costumes based on their favorite superhero, pop culture figure, or cartoon character a few weeks or days in advance, and jump at the chance to show off to their friends.
Next thing you know, it’s the morning of the big day. Every kid gets dressed and ready to go to school, pretending to learn a few things when, really, there’s only one thing on their minds: candy.
Now that we’re all grown up in college, is that guttural excitement still intact?
Well, maybe. It can still be exciting to go out and party in a costume, but it consistently falls short compared to the joys of dressing up as a kid at school.
After all, dressing up as a kid, or even as a high schooler, was somewhat of an escape from the monotonous day-to-day routine associated with pre-college education.
With the chance of seeing your teacher in a goofy outfit and the dream that at least one class would decide to put on a movie instead of work, dressing up only added to the fun.
Now, as a college student, dressing up in costume to attend an hour-and-ahalf-long lecture just seems like an inconvenience.
Third-year public relations major Melanie Lopez has seen only a handful of students wearing costumes on campus during her time at Long Beach State.
“I think a lot of college students don’t dress up, at least at school, [because] maybe like a lack of time,” Lopez said. “At school, with time, and homework and classwork, it can get a little bit impractical.”
This impracticality is only further exasperated by the fact that October lies in the middle of the fall semester, and for many students, it is the peak of midterm season.
Second-year journalism major Na-
Remember the joy of wearing your costume to school? What made you stop? If the answer is an increase in responsibility, you may not be alone. College students nowadays tend to avoid wearing costumes to school, but it’s high time this Halloween tradition made a comeback.
thaniel Therrien has only experienced one Halloween on campus, but remembers being quite busy during that season.
“Last year, I had a different major, which was pre-nursing,” Therrien said. “Within the classes I did take last [Halloween], costumes were the last thing on people’s minds, especially as a nursing major here.”
Of the costumes he saw last Halloween, Therrien noticed those with creative majors were more likely to dress up.
Felipe Ortega, a fourth-year graphic design major, also noticed that most cos-
tumes were in creative spaces.
“I wish everybody would dress up,” Ortega said. “Because if more people dressed up, I feel like then people would think it’s normal to dress up, and they wouldn’t feel self-conscious.”
Several students agreed that, given more free time and thought put into the process, more students would dress up for school.
Student sentiments also reflect that CSULB is a school in need of more spirit, and that dressing up would benefit the campus community and environment.
Ultimately, it seems that the Halloween spirit we embodied as kids never fully went away—it just shifted.
Now, as costumes really only exist in the party scene, maybe an increase in costumes on campus would make Halloween a more joyous experience.
Although midterms and the general hubbub of college can take a toll on your ability to be festive, maybe it’s time to relive the joys of seeing your classmates in fun outfits while taking a pointless exam and enjoying the once blissful simplicity of Halloween.
DANTE ESTRADA/Long Beach Current
8 Halloween costumes that belong in the grave
From overdone icons to costumes that should’ve stayed buried, find out which Halloween looks deserve a break in 2025, and why it’s time to bring originality back to spooky season.
BY EMELY DE HARO Contributor
With apps such as TikTok and Pinterest dominating the digital landscape, it’s no surprise that many people now scroll through social media for creative costume ideas.
The problem is, when everyone scrolls through the same “Halloween ideas” boards and trends, we end up with recycled looks year after year.
Since the beginning of the social media era in 2015, starting with YouTube and now dominated by Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, we’ve lost the creative spark that once made Halloween fun.
Here’s a list of costumes that should be ghosted this Halloween season.
1. Corset costumes
Corset costumes have dominated Halloween for the past few years thanks to TikTok—think princesses, “Shrek”-inspired looks, or anything labeled “Renaissance-core.”
They’re flattering and fun, but when the costume itself is a corset, it can feel repetitive.
Try adding creative twists or accessories that make the idea your own rather than relying solely on the silhouette.
2. “The Lorax”
This one had a great run online, but it’s officially lost its novelty.
“The Lorax” started as a clever, nostalgic nod to Dr. Seuss, but TikTok’s endless remakes have drained its originality. What once felt quirky and unexpected now feels like a copy of a copy.
Plus, the costume doesn’t leave much
room for personal interpretation, so everyone ends up looking the same.
If you love environmental or cartoon-inspired looks, there are several other whimsical characters you can reimagine instead.
3. “Men in Black”
As iconic as the movie series is, this look has been around for more than a decade.
Sleek suits and sunglasses will never go out of style, but it’s just not surprising anymore.
Maybe channel the mysterious energy into something different, like a creative twist on classic sci-fi or spy tropes.
Perhaps it’s time to take a cue from
the neuralyzer and forget this one ever existed.
4. Bedsheet ghost
Classic, yes. Creative, not so much. The sheet-over-the-head ghost has been done for generations.
If you’re going for a minimalist vibe, consider modern takes, including transparent fabrics, glow-in-the-dark paint or ghostly glam makeup.
5. Religious figures
Costumes of a religious figure like a nun, priest, the pope and even God are disrespectful, especially when these symbols are sexualized or used for humor.
It’s best to pause on these costumes due to their sensitivity. Religion can be deeply personal and shouldn’t be used for entertainment purposes.
6. Cultural stereotypes
Cultural appropriation is not a costume. Wearing attire from a culture that isn’t your own, especially for humor or “exotic” effect, is insensitive and outdated.
It’s 2025—we can be creative without being offensive.
7. Sexualized children’s characters
Turning childhood icons into adult costumes has been a trend for a while, but it’s starting to feel uncomfortable rather than clever.
There’s room for playful nostalgia without distorting the innocence of beloved characters.
8. Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn, the love interest of the infamous villain The Joker from DC Comics’ Batman franchise, became popular after the 2016 movie “Suicide Squad,” and has since been a Halloween go-to for nearly a decade.
Unless you’re doing a special take on the character, maybe skip the pigtails and baseball bat this year.
Halloween is the perfect chance to express creativity, humor and imagination.
Before dressing up this year, consider how to make your costume personal and unexpected. The best looks are the ones that make people say, “Wow, I haven’t seen that before.”
DANTE ESTRADA/Long Beach Current
When creativity meets déjà vu: a lineup of Halloween classics that might finally need to be retired.
The Beach thrives on international recruiting stage
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN AND BRUCE KUNTZ Sports Editor and Contributor
Fresh off a strong showing in international play for Spain, Elisa Portillo was looking for a change. She wanted to play collegiate water polo in America.
Due to its strong presence of international student-athletes, Long Beach State stood out to her on the recruiting trail.
“I think that was the thing that made me say, ‘Okay, let’s go to Long Beach,’” Portillo said. “Because it was going to be easier for me to adjust to the team and the culture.”
After coming over from her home country of Spain in 2023, LBSU attacker Portillo has amassed 177 goals for The Beach, as she sits at fifth all-time in LBSU history in goals heading into her senior season. Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics International college athletes encounter challenges beyond the typical obstacles faced by American student-athletes. Women’s water polo is one of several LBSU athletics programs that frequently dips into international recruiting.
Shana Welch, the LBSU women’s water polo head coach, has built her program with nine international student-athletes out of her 22-player roster.
She recruited the Madrid native in Portillo, who is now fifth in program history with 177 goals scored after leading the team to a No. 6 national ranking last year.
As of 2022, more than one-fifth of all women’s water polo players in the NCAA were recruited from foreign countries.
“The biggest challenge is not having that face-to-face and not being able to go see them in every international competition with our budget,” Welch said. “We try to understand if a recruit is a good fit through phone calls and FaceTimes and watching film, and I think we’ve really fine-tuned that ability to figure out who’s a good fit or not.”
MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current
LBSU men's volleyball's star international recruit and 2025 National Player of the Year Moni Nikolov wears the flag of his home country of Bulgaria over his shoulders as he cuts the net in celebration following The Beach's national championship victory over UCLA on May 12.
Recruiting on the international stage requires a completely different approach from domestic recruiting. Players have unique needs and desires that must be met, while coaches have to evaluate players from across the globe to add to their rosters.
The men’s volleyball team, the most recent national champions on campus, was powered to its title this spring by Bulgarian superstar Moni Nikolov.
Long Beach State has grown into a strong international athletic community, with men’s volleyball leading the way in championship success.
Alan Knipe, the longtime LBSU men’s volleyball head coach and newly-inducted member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, has spent decades making connections in the international volleyball scene.
Knipe played at LBSU and on the United States National Team before eventually taking over LBSU’s program as head coach in 2001.
Outside of taking a hiatus to become head coach of Team USA from 200912, Knipe has held his position at LBSU since.
International players accounted for only 8% of NCAA men’s volleyball athletes in 2022. Yet Knipe thrives on foreign recruiting: seven of his players at LBSU have won National Player of the Year honors, with the last two, Moni and Alex Nikolov, both international recruits.
On last year’s national championship team, eight of the 24 players on the ros-
ter were international student-athletes.
“The relationships that I have around the world with some of the top agents and some of the top volleyball federations in the world has led to a lot of really good relationships, so they have a lot of trust sending their players here,” Knipe said.
With three national championships as a coach under his belt, Knipe takes advantage of his web of contacts to make LBSU an international volleyball powerhouse.
Of the nine LBSU current players and alumni who represented their countries at the Volleyball Nations League this summer, six were playing for teams outside the United States.
Reputation is a significant factor in Knipe’s pipeline for bringing international stars to The Beach.
He provides athletes with opportunities for growth on the court and in their careers; other international players see their peers blossom after playing at LBSU and then want to follow that path themselves.
Knipe describes this process as a “snowball effect” that continually grows the program’s international recruiting prowess.
“When you get a player from Europe and the way you train that player and
the success he has, when he goes back to his club, what does he say?” Knipe said. “Those [players] are the best recruiters for you.”
While men’s volleyball has had recent headline-grabbing international athletes, they are nowhere near the most internationally dominated roster on campus: that title would go to women’s tennis.
All eight players on interim head coach Gertjan De Wilder’s roster are international student-athletes. Women’s tennis is a particularly international sport, with 66% of NCAA women’s tennis players being international athletes in 2022.
The influence of European tennis at the NCAA level suggests a superior international player pipeline. De Wilder attributes more personalized coaching and a focus on technique as European coaching approaches that help their players thrive.
“I think that when you’re younger, these kids need to spend a lot of time on coordination and technique before they just go out and hit,” De Wilder said. “That’s when you create these habits. As a kid, you create certain habits, and it’s very hard to get rid of them.”
De Wilder recently took the reins from longtime LBSU women’s tennis coach Jenny Hilt-Costello, who was a nine-time Big West Coach of the Year. De Wilder has big shoes to fill, but he does not see his international player base as a complicating factor.
De Wilder is a native of Belgium, giving him a personal connection with his European players.
“Everyone’s from a different country in our program,” De Wilder said. “Me too, so everyone’s in the same boat.”
The community among teammates and coaches at LBSU is ultimately what allows international players to thrive.
Whether they play water polo, volleyball, tennis or any other sport, international student-athletes will continue to play a big role in the success of LBSU athletics.
“Honestly, I only hang out with the team because we’re together 24/7,” Portillo said. “You don’t really have much time to be social apart from water polo, so in the end, your teammates are going to be your closest friends. So it’s nice to have them.”
Tournament hopes for The Beach dwindle after Tritons draw
BY JUNIOR CONTRERAS Sports Assistant
Long Beach State (5-6-5) junior forward Radisson Banks takes pride in being an offensive firework ready to explode. Still, her controlled offense fell short of any success in a scoreless draw against UC San Diego (4-6-7) on Thursday, Oct. 23, at George Allen Field.
“Just a lot of missed opportunities,” Banks said. “As forwards, we have to be able to score and I take that with pride, being able to finish and I just have to be better.”
With just three games remaining in the regular season heading into Thursday, The Beach had the opportunity to put themselves in the best position to qualify for the Big West Championships, but escaped with just one point towards their season total in the conference standings due to the draw.
The first shot of the game came inside the 15th minute as UCSD junior midfielder Alexis Nguyen fired a bullet from outside the box into LBSU junior goalkeeper Aurora Schuck’s hands for
her first of five saves on the night.
Just three minutes later, LBSU sophomore midfielder Malea Johnson crosspassed to the left side of the field, finding Banks inside the box, as her first of her game-high four shots was blocked.
“We had a couple of really good looks, I thought we could have done better with,” LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. "[Facing a] good defensive team, you’re going to have to be clinical.”
The 21st minute featured the only shot on goal in the first half for The Beach offense by Johnson, as her shot from the right of the field glided into the hands of UCSD redshirt freshman goalkeeper Charlotte Wilfert, who leads the Big West in saves per game with 4.35.
Banks prompted her offense to continue applying pressure as LBSU freshman midfielder Ameera White curved her shot just over the crossbar for The Beach’s fourth and final shot of the first half.
Needing a win for the critical three points in the conference standings, The Beach offense came out flying as a 46th-minute LBSU corner landed on Banks’ chest, controlling the pass from LBSU junior defender Kylie Perez before
ETHAN COHEN/Long Beach Current
Long Beach State sophomore defender Natalie Arnold attempts to meet a cross in the UC San Diego box during a match at George Allen Field on Thursday, Oct. 23. The Beach fell short of a goal, taking a split zero draw.
soaring into the air for a bicycle kick attempt punched out by a leaping Wilfert.
“It could have been a spectacular night with [Banks’] bicycle, but the keeper was pretty good, so yeah, unfortunate…[Banks] was fantastic tonight,” Ingrassia said.
UCSD, which sits at eighth in the Big West standings just below LBSU, which resides in seventh, came out of the half attacking just as The Beach did, with both teams combining for six goal-less shots in the first 10 minutes of the second.
LBSU, who fell empty-handed on
their game-leading seven corner kicks, gave up a late 88th-minute corner to the Tritons, who failed to connect for a game-winning goal, leaving both teams scoreless on the night.
“My team fought, played well, played very hard today, it wasn’t for a lack of trying,” Ingrassia said. “We got to finish strong these last two games.”
Ingrassia wants his team to stay together as they end their season on the road, taking on Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Northridge in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Big West Championship.
Catching the Wave: Ranking the scariest 2026 opponents in LBSU men’s volleyball
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN
Sports Editor
In the spirit of Halloween, this week’s edition of “Catching the Wave” takes a look at the scariest teams on Long Beach State men’s volleyball’s 2026 season schedule.
While no team evokes as much fear in the hearts of opposing coaches across the nation as the reigning, defending national champions at LBSU, The Beach has its fair share of fearsome opponents on the docket this season.
In addition to competing in the stacked Big West Conference, all three of the other programs to reach last season’s Final Four will visit the Walter Pyramid this season in hopes of taking down the
nation’s top team.
Here are the scariest opponents to look out for next season, from least to most threatening.
Hawai’i University, March 20-21
After surrendering the Big West title to the Rainbow Warriors on their home turf last season, The Beach are on the lucky end of the draw in 2026, as both matchups with Hawai’i will take place at the Pyramid.
Hawai’i is led by the unstoppable duo of junior setter Tread Rosenthal, who led the conference in assists in 2025, and sophomore opposite Kristian Titriyski, who finished third in kills.
While LBSU got the last laugh, ultimately winning the national title, head coach Alan Knipe’s squad will undoubtedly be looking to capture the Big West
crown that slipped through their grasp last season, and both matches between The Beach and Warriors will have significant stakes on the conference standings.
Pepperdine University, Jan. 30
When The Waves waltz into the Walter Pyramid, it will be a rematch of the semifinals of last season’s NCAA tournament, when LBSU took down Pepperdine 3-1 behind 19 kills from outside hitter Alex Kandev.
The Bulgarian sophomore, possibly replicating that performance, would be crucial for The Beach as they look to pick up the win over the team that ranked eighth in the nation in hitting percentage in 2025.
UCLA, Feb. 6
The top must-see rivalry the sport has to offer graces the Pyramid with its next
chapter on Feb. 6, as the Bruins look for revenge against the team that swept them in the national title game last season.
The two squads with storied histories have won five of the last seven national titles between them and have been the last two teams standing in the previous two NCAA Championships.
The Bruins will be led by senior setter Andrew Rowan, who finished 13th in the nation in assists per set last season, and senior middle blocker Cameron Thorne, who finished ninth in the country in blocks.
After sweeping UCLA in the regular season and toppling them to take the title, LBSU will look to make it four straight victories over the Bruins this season.
LBSU icon to be immortalized in volleyball Hall of Fame
Legendary coach is set to receive exclusive honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association in 2025.
BY BRIANNA APODACA Sports Assistant
Head coach Alan Knipe is set to receive the ultimate accolade and be named one of four members of the American Volleyball Coaches Association 2025 Hall of Fame Class.
As the face of Long Beach State men’s volleyball and a four-time NCAA national champion, Knipe is recognized as an icon.
“It means a lot to be considered to go into the [AVCA] Hall of Fame, I don’t take it lightly,” Knipe said. “I just can’t stress enough that to me, it’s a lot more about the body of work from the program and everyone involved.”
Knipe began his storied history at The Beach as a key player for LBSU on the team that brought the program’s first national title home in 1991.
At the helm as head coach of his alma mater, Knipe has led the program to three national titles, going back-toback in 2018 and 2019 before claiming the throne for the third time this past season.
The Beach has also qualified for 10 NCAA final fours, including eight in the last nine seasons, won three Big West titles and recorded a .723 winning percentage during Knipe’s tenure.
Knipe will be inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame under the coach/educator category, an honor reserved for influential coaches who have made lasting, significant contributions to the sport at any level.
A three-time AVCA Coach of the Year, Knipe has built up a resume of being one of the best developers of talent in the NCAA since 2001.
The legendary coach has guided seven athletes to National Player of the Year and major success at The Beach. His program has produced 81 AVCA All-Americans, including outside hitter Skyler Varga, who led the 2025 title-winning team with 270 kills.
“[Knipe’s] knowledge for the game and experience and all-around volleyball IQ is higher than anyone I’ve ever met,” Varga said. “I think he takes a lot of pride in that and definitely tries to pass that down to us.”
In addition to his success at The Beach, Knipe has also seen major success on the international stage, coaching the
U.S. Men’s National Team from 2009 to 2012.
In 2012, he helped lead the team to claim the FIVB World League silver medal, marking their second-best finish since the World League began in 1990.
Throughout Knipe’s career, countless people have contributed to the success he has brought to LBSU.
Nick MacRae has not only coached alongside Knipe for the last 13 seasons, being promoted to associate head coach in 2018, but was also coached by Knipe during his time as a player at The Beach.
MacRae serves as both the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the storied program.
“My honest reaction was ‘It’s about time,’” MacRae said upon Knipe’s induction. “When it comes to USA volleyball, NCAA volleyball, Long Beach State volleyball, Alan Knipe is the guy, he’s my mentor, he defines greatness and he defines legacy in all of those areas.”
Off the court, many have also helped
Knipe in his coaching career and shaped him into the coach and person he is today.
Among those Knipe credited as helping him become who he is today was the late former CSULB President Robert Maxson, who died in September.
When Knipe was a candidate for the head coaching job in 2001, Maxson was his biggest advocate and played a major role in his early coaching career at LBSU.
“I was a fairly young head coach and President Maxson was always a really big fan of the athletic department and men’s volleyball, and really me in particular,” Knipe said.
Knipe also credited former athletic director Bill Shumard for his support at the time of his hiring, and senior associate athletics director Mark Edrington for helping him every step of the way.
Knipe will be recognized for his prolific coaching career at the AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, on Dec. 18.
Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics
At the helm of LBSU men's volleyball since 2021, Alan Knipe has led The Beach to three national titles as a coach, culminating in his induction to the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2025.
