Who is US women's volleyball team's coach at Paris Olympics? Meet Karch Kiraly, the man on the cusp of back-to-back Olympic gold medals

The US women’s volleyball team has been on a strong run at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They have made it to the final and now have a chance to script history at the Summer Games.

The team has been working well under the guidance of Karch Kiraly, who became the coach of the American women’s national volleyball team in 2012. Kiraly took to the sport early, thanks to his father Laszlo, who played on the Hungarian national volleyball team.

He attended the Santa Barbara High School, where he was named the best player in the state in his senior year. He then attended the University of California, where he was a four-time All-American and led the team to three national titles in four years.

With the national team, he won the Olympic gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1988 Seoul Games. At the event in South Korea, he was even named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He also won the gold medal at the 1982 and 1986 World Championships as well as the 1987 Pan American Games.

A year into his role as the coach of the US women’s volleyball team, he helped them win the inaugural FIVB world championships. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, they won the bronze medal.

His biggest achievement to date, however, came at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where the team defeated Brazil 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-14) at Ariake Arena to clinch their maiden gold medal. It was their sixth volleyball medal for the United States, after three silver and two bronze medals. It was also the fourth consecutive Games where they bagged a medal.

During his playing career, Kiraly was named the best player in the world by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball in 1986 and 1988. And for everything he has achieved as a coach, he was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008.

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Karch Kiraly’s US women’s volleyball team reaches final at 2024 Paris Olympics

Avery Skinner in action against Brazil at the 2024 Paris Olympics - Getty Images

The US women’s volleyball team could win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. The reigning Olympic champions beat Brazil in the semifinals at the South Paris Arena to book their spot in the final.

In what was a rematch of the Tokyo Games final, which the US won in straight sets, there was very little to separate both teams. In the end, the US held on to win 25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11.

Karch Kiraly’s team will face either Italy or No. 3 Turkey in the final on Sunday.