UCLA Volleyball Remembers Rolf Engen
August 03, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
The UCLA volleyball world was saddened to learn of the passing of one of the all-time greats, Rolf Engen, earlier this week at his home in Laguna Beach, Calif. Engen was a setter on UCLA's first men's volleyball team and an outstanding USA National Team player. He later became a coach and served as the Commissioner of Volleyball at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Engen won two national collegiate titles at UCLA and was twice selected a first-team All-American (1953 and 1954). After college, he was a nine-time USA Volleyball National Open Champion, 10-time All-American and USA Volleyball's most valuable player in 1960. As a member of the USA national team, he won a gold medal at the 1955 and 1959 Pan-Am games and World Games in 1960 and National Open Gold in 1964. He was honored with the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Player Award in 1968, induction into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2017. "At the time that he played, he was the best setter that I ever saw," said Al Scates. "I haven't seen anybody that was more accurate than he was. He was an amazing setter."
Engen, who was raised in Santa Ana, Calif., coached the Laguna Beach High School boys team and led them to a pair of state titles. He also started the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club and led the team to three golds and two silvers from 1975 to 1979. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach.
Engen won two national collegiate titles at UCLA and was twice selected a first-team All-American (1953 and 1954). After college, he was a nine-time USA Volleyball National Open Champion, 10-time All-American and USA Volleyball's most valuable player in 1960. As a member of the USA national team, he won a gold medal at the 1955 and 1959 Pan-Am games and World Games in 1960 and National Open Gold in 1964. He was honored with the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Player Award in 1968, induction into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2017. "At the time that he played, he was the best setter that I ever saw," said Al Scates. "I haven't seen anybody that was more accurate than he was. He was an amazing setter."
Engen, who was raised in Santa Ana, Calif., coached the Laguna Beach High School boys team and led them to a pair of state titles. He also started the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club and led the team to three golds and two silvers from 1975 to 1979. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach.
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