Legendary coach Alan Knipe's son, Aidan Knipe, will be a teammate of young Bulgarian prospect Zhasmin Velichkov at the Italian club MINT Vero Volley Monza for the 2025/26 season. This is a significant move for the ambitious club, which continues to build a competitive roster with an international profile.

🏆 Alan Knipe – a coaching icon in American volleyball

Alan Knipe is among the most successful coaches in the history of college volleyball in the USA. As head coach of Long Beach State University, he led the team to three national titles (2018, 2019, and 2025) and nine appearances in the NCAA Final Four. As a player, Knipe won the title in 1991, and later served as head coach of the US national team (2009–2012), with whom he reached the quarter-finals of the London Olympics and won silver in the World League in 2012.

🇺🇸 Aidan Knipe – from Long Beach to Monza

Aidan Knipe, Alan's son, built an impressive career at Long Beach State, where he played under his father's guidance. He is among the program's all-time leaders in assists and has received numerous academic and athletic awards. After a successful collegiate period, Aidan began his professional career with teams such as San Diego Wild (USA), APOEL Nicosia (Cyprus), and Chênois Genève VB (Switzerland).

🇧🇬 Zhasmin Velichkov – silver medalist and new signing for Monza

As first reported byvolleyweek.bg, Zhasmin Velichkov, a silver medalist with the Bulgarian youth national team at the 2024 European Championship, will join Monza. This transfer is part of the club's strategy to invest in young and promising talents.

🔄 Monza's transfer activity in June 2025

In June 2025, MINT Vero Volley Monza introduced several new signings and confirmed the retention of key players: