IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine head coach David Kniffin announced that former Anteater great Ryan Ammerman will join the men's volleyball coaching staff for the 2023 campaign. 

"If Homer had written The Odyssey in modern day Irvine, Ryan would be the hero." Kniffin mused. "His many memorable journeys, challenges and successes have always inspired me. Now Ryan is coming home after more than a decade of diverse volleyball pursuits and  I couldn't be more delighted." 
 
Ammerman played for the Anteaters from 2004-2009, ending his career eighth all-time in set assists with 2,141. He was a member of UCI's first two NCAA Championship teams, earning first-time All-American in 2009. In his last collegiate game, he was named the NCAA Most Outstanding Player, with 55 assists, six kills and a career-high 13 blocks. The setter was named AVCA National Player of the Week and MPSF Co-Player of the Week on Mar. 8, 2009. He was also named first team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation as a senior. 
Following his career at UCI, Ammerman played professionally in Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Italy, Belgium, and Croatia. He was a member of two championships (2011, 2013) while in Croatia.

The setter was a member of the United States Men's National Team from 2010-2015, helping the United States to a Pan Am Cup Championship in 2012.

"I would like to thank David Kniffin and the UC Irvine athletic department for giving me this opportunity to come back to where I played and was a part of championship teams to try and help effect winning as much as I can for this current group of Anteaters," Ammerman said. "Winning championships, while difficult, is always the end goal at a place like UCI. I hope the perspective I'm able to bring from my days as a player along with everything that I've been able to learn in the last seven years from Jim Miret and everyone else at the Front Range Volleyball Club will help add to the culture that Kniffin has already established with his current staff and players. I can't wait to get started and to help the UCI men's volleyball team in the pursuit to win their next NCAA Championship."

Ammerman has been on the Anteater bench before, serving as the volunteer assistant coach in 2013-14. He has extensive club coaching experience, most recently at Front Range Volleyball Club. With Ammerman at the helm, four FRVBC teams have earned bids to the USAV Junior National Championships.

He has also had stints at the Elevation Volleyball Club in Engelwood, Colorado and Balboa Bay Boys Volleyball Club.