CHICO, Calif. - Chico State Athletics announced today that head volleyball coach Tommy Gott will step away from the program for the 2025 season to focus on a family health matter.
In Gott's absence, Ricci Luyties will serve as interim head coach. Luyties is one of the most decorated figures in American volleyball history, both as a player and a coach.
No stranger to both Chico State and the CCAA, Luyties spent 14 years at former conference member UC San Diego before retiring in 2023. During his tenure, which included the Tritons' transition to Division I, he led UC San Diego to a 220-152 (.591) overall record. While competing in the CCAA through 2019, Luyties squads were frequently ranked nationally and went to the NCAA Tournament every year from 2010-13. Prior to UC San Diego, Luyties spent six seasons as head coach at Southern Mississippi. In 2009, his final year in Hattiesburg, he guided the Golden Eagles to a 27–5 overall record, a 14–2 mark in Conference USA, the program's first outright league title, and earned C-USA Coach of the Year honors.
As a player, Luyties was a four-year starter at UCLA from 1981-84 and helped lead the Bruins to four consecutive NCAA Championships. He earned back-to-back NCAA Player of the Year awards and All-American honors in 1983 and 1984. He went on to win Olympic gold as part of the U.S. National Team in 1988, was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 1995 and named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team in 2016. Luyties also played professionally on the beach for almost 20 years, competing regularly on both the AVP Tour and the FIVB World Tour.
"First and foremost, my thoughts are with Coach Gott and his family during this time," said Luyties. "I'm honored to step in and support these student-athletes and am excited to build on the foundation he has established. When I coached in the CCAA, Chico State was always a tough opponent, and their culture and passion stood out. I look forward to helping this team continue to grow and compete at a high level."
Following Luyties to Chico is assistant coach Jaye Loyd, who spent six years working with him at UC San Diego, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being elevated to associate head coach. She previously coached at UNC Charlotte and Tulane, where she contributed to nationally ranked indoor and sand programs. As a student-athlete, Loyd played four years of collegiate volleyball, the first three at the University of Tennessee, helping the Volunteers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2008 while earning SEC Scholar-Athlete honors. She completed her career at Tulane in 2009, where the Green Wave qualified for the NCAA Tournament that season.
"We're thrilled to welcome such accomplished coaches to Chico State," said Chico State Athletic Director Eric Coleman. "Ricci and Jaye's experience and leadership will help our student-athletes grow on and off the court. We are especially grateful for their willingness to take time out of their schedules to step in and support Tommy and his family during this time of need. This gives Tommy peace in mind knowing the program is in great hands with these three outstanding coaches. At the same time, our thoughts remain with Tommy and his family—we fully support him in prioritizing family and look forward to welcoming him back to the sideline after the season."
The Wildcats open the 2025 season on September 5 against Menlo at incoming CCAA-member Fresno Pacific's Sunbird Classic.
