Long Beach State assistant men’s volleyball coach Scott Touzinsky, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, left the 49ers program Wednesday a day after it was revealed he was sanctioned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving an underage female athlete.
Touzinsky’s departure follows a Southern California Newspaper Group report Tuesday that the former 49ers All-American had continued coaching during the current college season despite being suspended by USA Volleyball and SafeSport since July.
A university announcement Wednesday night that Touzinsky had “elected” to leave the program also comes just days before the 49ers begin their national title defense next week in an NCAA tournament that concludes with the national championship match May 4 at the Walter Pyramid on the LBSU campus.
“I feel that my continued presence on the coaching staff would be a distraction during what is a critical time for the team,” Touzinsky said in the statement. “I do not make this decision lightly, but I believe this is the best course of action for the benefit of Long Beach State men’s volleyball. I am so proud of this team and I am so honored to have been part of this amazing program. This has been a remarkable journey.”
Touzinsky received a “Formal Warning” from the U.S. Center for SafeSport last week but was declared “eligible” to return to USA Volleyball-sanctioned events even though the center found the “allegations were substantiated,” according to SafeSport documents obtained by SCNG. The allegations of Touzinsky’s sexual misconduct involving an underage female volleyball player in 2013 or 2014 in Canada have been known within USA Volleyball for more than a year.
That Touzinsky was under investigation by SafeSport has been on a public list on USA Volleyball’s website since at least last fall.
“I don’t have any comment, sorry,” Touzinsky said when contacted by SCNG on Tuesday.
Long Beach State in a statement earlier Wednesday denied knowing about the allegations against Touzinsky until recently and indicated the university decided to take no further action against Touzinsky following a review of the matter.
“Late last month, the university learned that in 2013, Scott Touzinsky, prior to his employment as an assistant men’s volleyball coach here at Long Beach State University, had improper communication with a participant in a volleyball training program. The university conducted an immediate law-enforcement, Title IX, Human Resources, and legal review of the matter although it predated his employment with the institution, which began in 2017. Based on that review, a determination was made that there was no action required by the University, and Mr. Touzinsky remains on the coaching staff at this time,” Jeffrey D. Cook, a university spokesman said in the statement.
But after a series of questions from SCNG throughout Wednesday afternoon about whether Touzinsky would be allowed to coach in the NCAA tournament, Cook wrote in an email shortly before 5 p.m. “Additional information will be forthcoming this evening via the Athletics Communications office.”
Long Beach State issued the statement on Touzinsky’s departure three hours later.
Long Beach State head coach Alan Knipe, a former U.S. Olympic and national team coach, did not respond to a request for comment.
University president Jane Close Conoley and athletic director Andy Fee also did not respond to requests for comment.
Touzinsky was suspended by USA Volleyball last July in response to allegations of sexual misconduct involving an underage female athlete at a camp or clinic in Canada, according to documents. SafeSport opened an investigation of Touzinsky on July 19. The USA Volleyball suspension did not cover NCAA-sanctioned events.
SafeSport found that the USA Volleyball suspension was “sufficient.” Under the terms of the sanction, Touzinsky is also required to retake SafeSport training.
