Long Beach State athletic director Bobby Smitheran made the easiest hire anywhere in the NCAA last week. After legendary men’s volleyball coach Alan Knipe announced his retirement with four national titles to his name at LBSU (three as a coach, one as a player), Smitheran got to look one spot down the bench and hire […]
Author: Mike Guardabascio
Obituary: Longtime Golf Coach Dick McBride Passes Away at 90
Longtime golf coach Dick McBride passed away at the age of 90 last month, after a well-lived life full of service to the Long Beach community. Born in 1935, McBride grew up in Long Beach attending St. Matthew’s Elementary and St. Anthony High School. He’s perhaps best known in Long Beach as an avid golfer […]
Long Beach State Legend Alan Knipe Announcing Retirement Today
A legend of the Beach is riding off into the sunset–and he’s going out on top. Longtime Long Beach State men’s volleyball coach Alan Knipe will announce his retirement later today, he’s confirmed to the562. Knipe is a four-time NCAA men’s volleyball champion with Long Beach State, having won as a player in 1991 and […]
LBCC Water Polo Wins Dominant, Hilarious State Championship
The Long Beach City College women’s water polo team just wrapped up one of the most dominant seasons by any team at any level in city history. The Vikings blew through the CCCAA State Water Polo Tournament with three laugher wins, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 59-17, and winning every game by […]
Long Beach State Falls to Montana State in Battle at the Beach Championship
Long Beach State had a big week with the announcement of their iconic Pyramid being renamed the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid following an $8.5 million sponsorship. On the court on Friday night, the picture was a little less pretty for the school’s men’s basketball team, as the Beach (1-5) fell to Montana State in […]
LBUSD Concludes Long Beach Poly Football Investigation, Announces Punishments
Shortly after Long Beach Poly football coach Justin Utupo informed the562 that he was stepping down after one season coaching the Jackrabbits, the Long Beach Unified School District announced that it has completed an internal review, which confirmed that three Poly coaches violated CIF-SS Bylaw 202 B5, relating to school personnel falsifying documents The district […]
Long Beach Poly Girls’ Soccer Preview
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins. The562’s high school soccer coverage for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Long Beach Poly soccer alum Kennedy Justin. The Long Beach Poly girls’ soccer team is coming off a season to […]
BREAKING: Long Beach Poly Football Coach Justin Utupo Out After One Year
Long Beach Poly football coach Justin Utupo is out after just one year with the Jackrabbits, Utupo confirmed. The Poly football families have been informed of his resignation after a disappointing first year that saw the Jackrabbits go 5-5 with a forfeit loss, and saw them miss the playoffs for just the second time since […]
St. Anthony GIrls’ Soccer Preview
The562’s high school soccer coverage for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Long Beach Poly soccer alum Kennedy Justin. The St. Anthony girls’ soccer team continues its growth under fourth-year coach Carina Perez. The Saints went 9-6-1 last year and finished second in the Camino Real League thanks to a 5-3 record, losing their playoff […]











