The women’s professional indoor volleyball expansion franchise announced former UCLA women’s volleyball coach Alfee Reft will be head coach when LOVB San Francisco begins play in 2027.
“Being part of LOVB San Francisco at this stage is incredibly exciting,” Reft, an Oxnard, California, native, said in a statement on Friday. “The Bay Area is one of the most vibrant and diverse volleyball communities in the country, with a deep history of the sport and a culture that values innovation, inclusion, and excellence. I’m excited to help build a competitive, connected, and athlete-driven team that reflects this community and creates something Bay Area fans can truly rally around.”
Reft led the Bruins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021 in December and recorded a 51-40 record in his three seasons at UCLA. Reft was also an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s national team, where he helped lead Kelsey Cook and Team USA to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Cook, part of LOVB San Francisco’s women-led ownership group, said Reft ‘has experienced this game at the highest level as both a player and a coach’ and added that he has ‘immense trust in his vision for how to develop, train, and lead a team to success.’
The announcement of Reft’s hiring comes one day after UCLA said he was stepping down from his role to ‘pursue professional opportunities.’
‘After heavy deliberation, I have decided to focus on myself and my family with opportunities outside of collegiate coaching. I will forever be grateful for my time here at UCLA and wish only the best for this program moving forward,’ Reft said in a statement shared by UCLA on Thursday. ‘I would like to thank UCLA.’
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