Basketball, Class of 2009

Rolf Engen made his name on the basketball court at Santa Ana College before making his name on the volleyball court nationally. As a sophomore, Engen set the Eastern Conference record scoring 18.8 ppg while being named First-Team All-Conference. Engen was “regarded as one of the top basketeers in Santa Ana College history” by the Santa Ana Register.

His accolades earned him a scholarship to UCLA where an injury forced him to switch from basketball to volleyball. As a player-coach, Engen led the Bruins to the national championships two straight seasons while being named First-Team All-Conference both seasons.

Following his career at UCLA, Engen played for the Hollywood YMCA where he won six national titles and was named the outstanding player on the All-American team twice.

He won a gold medal at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico and again in 1955 in Chicago. He was also on the sixth place team in the World Volleyball Games in Paris in 1960. In 1966, Engen was named selected as the U.S. Volleyball Association All-Time Great Player.

Engen went on to become the coach at Laguna Beach High School where he led his teams to two CIF Championships before starting the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club where he led the boys team to three gold medals and two silver medals in the Junior Olympics from 1975-79.

Engen also served as the volleyball commissioner for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In 2003, Engen was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame and named to the All-Era team for the years 1953-78.