Long Beach State head men’s volleyball coach Alan Knipe will take a three-year leave of absence after the 2009 season to become the head coach of the USA Men’s Volleyball Team.  Knipe will coach Team USA through the 2012 Olympics in London and then return to Long Beach State in fall 2012. Knipe, a 1992 graduate of Long Beach State, is in his ninth season (14th overall) as the 49ers head coach and has compiled a 165-101 record. He has led the 49ers to the NCAA championship semifinals twice (2004, 2008) with a runner-up finish in 2004. As a player, Knipe was a member of the 49ers’ 1991 NCAA championship team.

Other transactions

Chancellors and presidents – Bernard Ploeger, executive vice president, provost and interim president at Chaminade, was named to the presidency on a permanent basis … F. Dennis Riegelnegg, vice president for student development and community development at St. Francis (Pennsylvania), was selected as president at Saint Joseph’s (Indiana).

Coaches

Men’s basketball – Hawaii extended head coach Bob Nash’s contract for one year through the 2011-12 season … Hofstra signed head coach Tom Pecora to a contract extension through 2013-14.

Men’s basketball assistants – Oregon appointed Mike Dunlap as an associate head basketball coach.

Women’s basketball – Hampton named David Six as interim head coach after announcing that Walter Mebane’s contract would not be renewed … Toledo extended coach Tricia Cullop’s contract through the 2014-15 season.

Football assistants – Louisiana-Monroe named Troy Reffett as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach and Chris Vaszily as tight ends and special teams coach … McNeese State named J.D. Kappeler as an assistant.