Utah Volleyball Legend Beth Launiere Retires After 36 Seasons; Alyssa D’Errico Named Head Coach

SALT LAKE CITY— Beth Launiere isn’t just Utah volleyball history — she is Utah volleyball history. After 36 seasons at the helm of the Utes program, Launiere announced her retirement, closing the chapter on one of the most impactful coaching tenures in the school’s athletic history.

Launiere retires as the all-time winningest coach in Utah volleyball with a 689-439 record, ranking as one of the longest-tenured coaches not just in volleyball but across Utah athletics.

Only two other coaches in any sport — Greg Marsden (gymnastics) and Don Reddish (swimming) — spent more time leading a Utah program.

Beth Launiere brought consistency & national spotlight

When Launiere took over in 1990, Utah volleyball was barely a blip on the national radar. Over the next three-plus decades, she turned it into a postseason staple — not by luck, but by building a culture that simply expected to compete.

• Postseason consistency: Launiere guided Utah to the NCAA Tournament 20 times over 36 seasons, including back-to-back trips in her final two years — a clear sign that this program wasn’t just briefly good, it stayed relevant and competitive year after year.

• Deep runs mattered: Her teams advanced to the Sweet 16 four times (2001, 2008, 2017, 2019), showing Utah could beat quality opponents and make noise in the postseason, not just show up.

• Conference dominance: Before the Pac-12 era raised the competition level, Launiere’s squads won six Mountain West championships — a mix of regular-season and tourney titles that cemented Utah as a league power.

• National respect: Under her leadership, the program was a national top-25 fixture, spending 183 weeks ranked in the AVCA Coaches Poll. That’s not occasional hype — that’s sustained respect from coaches across the country.

Launiere wasn’t just winning matches — she was building a culture that outlived individual rosters and changing the landscape of volleyball in the Mountain West and Pac-12. Her players didn’t just compete; many became All-Americans and leaders at the next level.

In her announcement, Launiere spoke with the kind of humility and gratitude that defined her coaching style: thankful for the players, assistants, and support staff who shared the journey. But make no mistake — her imprint on this program goes far beyond “thank yous.”

 

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New Era Begins: Alyssa D’Errico Takes the Reins

Stepping into Launiere’s massive shoes is Alyssa D’Errico, officially named Utah’s next head volleyball coach.

D’Errico isn’t a random hire or a stopgap — she’s been in the trenches at Utah for three seasons as the associate head coach, helping transform the team defensively and play-to-play in serve/receive and scouting.

Why this hire makes sense:

She helped Utah bounce back from an 11-19 2023 season to 25-6 in 2024 and NCAA Tournament appearances in both 2024 and 2025.

She’s respected as a talent evaluator and developer, with strong relationships across the roster and in recruiting. With a championship pedigree as a player, D-Errico cultivated success from her time at Dayton before coming to Salt Lake City.

With D’Errico coming in, she is uniquely positioned to continue — not just maintain — the standard Launiere built. Her quote underscores confidence in D’Errico’s ability to push this program forward without losing the core culture that’s been forged over decades.

D’Errico herself struck the right tone. Gratitude for Launiere, excitement for the challenge ahead, and a clear vision for elevating competitive standards while nurturing the student-athlete experience.

Legacy, Transition, and What’s Next

This is setup to be a passing of the torch. Launiere built Utah volleyball into a model of consistency and excellence across 36 seasons, and her retirement leaves a legacy that’s deep on wins, national relevance, and cultural identity.

Utah opted for continuity and evolution by promoting from within. D’Errico knows this roster, this culture, and this community — and that’s exactly why she’s the right choice to lead next.

This is a smart succession plan, a bridge from tradition to the future without losing sight of what made Utah volleyball great.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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