California Irvine Athletics

Hired in July of 2012, David Kniffin is now the longest tenured volleyball coach in Anteater history.

As a coach, Kniffin has received several honors: Big West Conference Co-Coach of the Year (2022), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year (2015), Volleyball Magazine National Coach of the Year (2013) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year (2010). 

Kniffin became just the second coach in the history of NCAA men's volleyball to guide a team to the NCAA Championship in his first season (2013). Since then, Kniffin has led the Anteater squad to conference and regular season titles as well as multiple trips to the NCAA Tournament (2015, 2018, 2024).

As an assistant coach, Kniffin won two NCAA Championships with UC Irvine Men’s Volleyball (2007, 2009) and coached in the NCAA Championship match with University of Illinois Women’s Volleyball (2011).

As a student-athlete, Kniffin graduated from UC Irvine with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 2003. As a senior, he helped guide UC Irvine to the school’s first No. 1 ranking and first-ever post-season victory. Kniffin earned UCI Scholar-Athlete and MPSF All-Academic honors during his Anteater career.

Internationally, Kniffin played professionally for CAI Voleibol Teruel (Spain) for two seasons, helping the team win the division championship (2006). He has served the USA National Team Development Pipeline as a coach and scout, worked for the FIVB World League Finals (2008) and continues to facilitate international volleyball tours for both men and women.

Prior to UC Irvine, Kniffin attended both Loyola Marymount University (2000) and Los Angeles Pierce College (2001) and started on the undefeated state-championship team. A graduate of Chico Senior High, Kniffin did not play organized high school volleyball until the spring of his junior year, after he and a group of friends successfully petitioned the Chico Board of Education to provide a sanctioned opportunity at both high schools.

Off the court, UC Irvine men’s volleyball has seen a dramatic increase in alumni engagement and support in the Kniffin era.

Academically, the Alumni Association has twice named a men’s volleyball player as Student-Athlete of the Year (2013, 2015) while the Intercollegiate Athletic Department has awarded men’s volleyball with the UCI Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award on three occasions (2019, 2020, and 2021). In addition, seven student-athletes have completed graduate degrees since 2013 while many more have made Dean’s List in their respective schools.

Starting in 2022, Coach Kniffin will serve on the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics (CACIA), which provides critical perspective on academics, student-athlete health and well-being, compliance, and other matters.

5 Questions for David Kniffin:

 

Q: Why did you choose UC Irvine as a student-athlete?

 

A: I wasn’t recruited by anyone else. And I had it just fixed in my mind that (after Junior College) I needed to keep playing volleyball. 

 

Q: What was your favorite class at UC Irvine?

 

A: Epistemology (study of knowledge). I encountered some exceptional people and teachers here at UC Irvine, but Jeff Barrett (Chancellor’s Professor of Logic, Philosophy and Science) stands out. 

 

Q: Do you have a mentor?

 

A: Many. But in this context, I would just say the program’s first volleyball coach, Dr. Bob Newcomb. Bob was a beloved husband, father, and lecturer. He was an academic with a healthy perspective on the potential value of sport within the context of a university. When I was exploring grad school, he tutored me in statistics. Throughout his career, he did all the unseen things in his office spaces. He worked to grow the game at all levels. His door was always open to his people. He would swing by just to say hello. He adored his wife. He picked up trash around campus. He advocated for those with marginalized voices. And so much more. He even taught some volleyball skills for a few years. 

 

Q: What would you want a potential student-athlete to know about UC Irvine Men’s Volleyball before they ever step on campus for a visit?  

 

A: We will be authentic. This can be confusing and challenging for some people to accept. Give it time and you might find out you prefer authenticity to everything else you get inundated with throughout your life so far. 

 

Q: What is one thing, unrelated to volleyball, that you love about UC Irvine? 

 

A: The environmental design. This campus is so intentional in its design. The conditions for collaboration and interdisciplinary study are exceptional. And with so many faculty and students living on campus, leveraging the genius in the room has become one of our greatest resources.