Karch Kiraly

Women's National Team Head Coach

Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly has served as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team since September 2012.

In 2021, Kiraly coached the U.S. Women’s Team to its first ever Olympic gold medal as the team went 7-1 in Tokyo, sweeping longtime rival Brazil in the final. The U.S. Women also won their third straight FIVB Volleyball Nations League title in 2021.

Overall, Kiraly has tallied a 268-55 record from his start in 2013, and he’s helped the team claim several other big victories and medals. He led the U.S. to bronze at the 2016 Olympic Game in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. opened the tournament by winning all five pool play matches. After a three-set quarterfinal win, the squad suffered a heart-breaking five-set loss in the semifinals. Kiraly helped the team bounce back and defeat Netherlands to claim the program’s third consecutive Olympic medal.

Kiraly has also led the U.S. to historic success in the FIVB World Championship as well. In 2014, the United States won its first-ever World Championship title after going 11-2 during the tournament and downing China in four sets during the gold medal match.

That world championship title kicked off a stretch of six wins in seven tournaments for the U.S., including a 2015 World Grand Prix victory. The U.S. went 5-0 during the tournament’s final round for that trophy. In the Grand Prix’s successor tournament, the Volleyball Nations League, the U.S. found even more success by winning the title in 2018 and successfully defending it in 2019 and 2021.

Under Kiraly, the U.S. has also won the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup and NORCECA Continental Championship in 2013; Pan American Games in 2015, and Pan American Cup from 2017-2019, among others.

Before becoming the head coach, Kiraly served the team as an assistant coach from 2009 to 2012. He helped lead the Americans to a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

While he’s proven to be an adept coach, Kiraly is also considered one of the greatest volleyball players ever. He was selected the greatest volleyball player of the 20th century by the FIVB and is one of four people to win a world championship as both a coach and a player (1986 – U.S. Men’s National Team). He also won Olympic gold in indoor volleyball (1984, 1988) and beach volleyball (1996). In the sand, Kiraly claimed 148 tournament victories and was named the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Most Valuable Player six times.

Collegiately, Kiraly led UCLA to a 124-5 record and three national titles during his four years. He also has been inducted into a host of Hall of Fames, including the International Volleyball Hall of Fame (2001), United States Olympic Hall of Fame (2008) and UCLA Hall of Fame (1992).

In high school, Kiraly won a Southern California Championship title and participated in the U.S. Junior National Team in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Kiraly now lives in San Clemente, Calif., with his wife, Janna. The couple has two adult sons, Kristian and Kory.