University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins Add Jeremy Casebeer to Coaching Staff
October 25, 2019 | Beach Volleyball
SOCIAL MEDIA:ย BeachVB on Twitterย |ย BeachVB on Facebookย |ย BeachVB on Instagram
LOS ANGELES, Calif.ย --ย UCLA head women's beach volleyball coach Stein Metzgerย announced today the hiring of Jeremy Casebeer as the Bruins' volunteer assistant coach effective immediately.
Casebeer replaces Irene Pollock, who helped guide the UCLA Bruins to its second-consecutive NCAA Championship on May 5, 2019.
"Our previous volunteer assistant coaches have left an exceptional legacy at UCLA," Metzger said. "I expect Jeremy will have a similar impact on our student-athlete's development and the development of the program as a whole. His experience and insight as a current professional beach volleyball player will be of great value. He is aย consummate learner who is passionate about improving himself and helping those around him.ย He is a thoughtful technician and tactician and will help us immensely in the serving, attacking and blocking skill sets.ย His experience of training and competing in Brazil and abroad will also give us a direct knowledge of what the best players in the world are doing to shape the sport at the highest level."
While this is Casebeer's first collegiate post in coaching, he hasย shown a strong passion forย coaching by traveling the United States conducting 30-plus beach volleyball clinics in 2018-19. He has also served as a coach/counselor at UCLA men's volleyball summer camps since graduating from UCLA in 2012. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach for LA Beach in 2018-19.
Casebeer began his volleyball career at Santa Barbara High after making the switch from soccer to volleyball his freshman year. He would develop his skills during the summers playing at East Beach, and competing in youth tournaments. Casebeerย earned a scholarship to play at UCLAย for legendary coach Al Scates. ยญHeย finished his collegiate career as a three-year letterwinner at outside hitter and was named to the Outrigger Hotels Invitational in 2011 and 2012. His senior year of 2012, he led the Bruins in kills (268) and was UCLA's best passer in terms of passing percentage and attempts. He finished his career with 525 kills, 260 digs, 143 total blocks, 66 assists and 25 aces. Casebeer was named to the UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll fiveย times and in 2012, earned a spot on the MPSF All-Academic Team. Heย graduated with a degree in Political Science and Environmental Studies.
Since graduating at UCLA, Casebeer has been playing beach volleyball professionally, proving his mettle on international and domestic tours, including in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan, and Turkey. In 2008,ย Casebeer made his pro beach volleyball debut at the age of 19 with an AVP qualifier with Andrew McGuire. That duo competed together in the FIVB U-21 World Championships in England, finishing ninth. In 2012,ย Casebeer formed a partnership with Will Montgomery, and the pair played in five domestic events together with a best of 17th twice. They alsoย represented the U.S. in the World University Games in Maceio, Brazil, finishing seventh.ย
While competing on the Australian and New Zealand pro tours in the off-season, he earned six top five finishes on thoseย tours, including silver at Aussie Champs in St. Kilda. After a full season in the U.S. and two more seasons in both Australia and New Zealand, Casebeerย traveled Bali and Thailand for a month surfing and exploring their unique cultures. Casebeer then competed in Turkey's first professional tournament, while coaching in Antalya, Turkey, for Sweden's premier beach volleyball vacation company, Beach Camp. After that, he spent time in Israel training and competing with their top team in preparation for the Israeli season.
A member of Team USA's Elite Development Program, Casebeer qualified four times during his 2013 rookie season on the AVP Tour with a best finish of seventh in St. Pete. Casebeerย returned to Australia in 2014 to train and compete in his second full season of beach volleyball. He competed at seven AVP events with a best finish of third and played in four FIVB events with a best finish of fifth. He was laterย named the 2014 AVP Most Improved Player.ย He Made his FIVB debut in 2014 at the Xiamen Open with Will Montgomery, finishing ninth.
In 2015, Casebeer finished second with Derek Olson at NORCECA Tavares, his career-best international finish. He also eared a seventh-place finish on the 2015 AVP Tour in Chicago with Olson. He also finished ninth three times, twice with Olson and once with Casey Jennings.
Casebeer partnered with Sean Rosenthal in 2016 to record his then-best finish of second at the New York City Open and would later be named the AVP's Best Server.ย In 2017, Casebeerย playedย on the domestic AVP Tour, finishing third three times with partner John Mayer. He also was a five-time champion on the Japan Tour and had five fifth-place finishes in the Banco do Brasil.ย In 2018, he finished third at three AVP events with Reid Priddy (Austin, Seattle and Chicago) and also finished third with Priddy at p1440 in San Jose. He was named the AVP's Best Server in 2018 for the second time in his career. He also competed in three FIVB events with Priddy, recording a best finish of 17th in Huntington Beach.
He is coming off of his most successful season in 2019 where he won his first-ever title with Chaim Schalk, defeating Taylor Crabb and Jake Gibb in straight sets (21-19, 21-18) to win theย AVP Seattle Open on June 23, 2019. Casebeer and Schalk also finished second at the Austin Open and had two third-place finishes (Chicago Gold Series and Hawaii Open). The duo also picked up three fifth-place finishes (New York City Open, Manhattan Beach Open, and Huntington Beach Open).
ย
