Long Beach State has a proud basketball tradition in the Big West Conference, including Elite Eight runs in the early 1970s under Jerry Tarkanian and years of competitive teams. The program has produced numerous NBA players and was once coached by Jerry Tarkanian and Lute Olson early in their legendary careers.
The school phased out the "49ers" nickname during the 2010s and officially rebranded to simply "The Beach" beginning with the 2019-20 season, embracing its Southern California coastal identity and Long Beach's beach culture.
The 1971 Elite Eight run under Jerry Tarkanian, when the 49ers pushed eventual champion UCLA to the brink before falling 57-55 in the West Regional final, establishing Long Beach State as a serious basketball program and launching Tark's legendary coaching career.
Both Jerry Tarkanian and Lute Olson — two of the greatest coaches in college basketball history — got their starts at Long Beach State before moving on to UNLV and Arizona, respectively.
The Long Beach State Beach compete in the Big West and hold an all-time record of 889–804 (.525 winning percentage) across 57 recorded seasons dating back to 1969-70.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10-22 | 6-14 (Big West) | Chris Acker | |
| 2024-25 | 7-25 | 3-17 (Big West) | Chris Acker | |
| 2023-24 | 21-15 | 10-10 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2022-23 | 17-16 | 11-9 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2021-22 | 20-13 | 14-3 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2020-21 | 6-12 | 4-8 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2019-20 | 11-21 | 6-10 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2018-19 | 15-19 | 8-8 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2017-18 | 15-18 | 9-7 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2016-17 | 15-19 | 9-7 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2015-16 | 20-15 | 12-4 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2014-15 | 16-17 | 10-6 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2013-14 | 15-17 | 10-6 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2012-13 | 19-14 | 14-4 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2011-12 | 25-9 | 15-1 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2010-11 | 22-12 | 14-2 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2009-10 | 17-16 | 8-8 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2008-09 | 15-15 | 10-6 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2007-08 | 6-25 | 3-13 (Big West) | Dan Monson | |
| 2006-07 | 24-8 | 12-2 (Big West) | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2005-06 | 18-12 | 9-5 (Big West) | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2004-05 | 10-20 | 7-11 (Big West) | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2003-04 | 6-21 | 4-14 (Big West) | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2002-03 | 5-22 | 4-14 (Big West) | Larry Reynolds | |
| 2001-02 | 13-17 | 9-9 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 2000-01 | 18-13 | 10-6 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 1999-00 | 24-6 | 15-1 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 1998-99 | 13-15 | 9-7 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 1997-98 | 10-19 | 5-11 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 1996-97 | 13-14 | 9-7 (Big West) | Wayne Morgan | |
| 1995-96 | 17-11 | 12-6 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | |
| 1994-95 | 20-10 | 13-5 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | |
| 1993-94 | 17-10 | 11-7 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | |
| 1992-93 | 22-10 | 11-7 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | AP #25 |
| 1991-92 | 18-12 | 11-7 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | |
| 1990-91 | 11-17 | 7-11 (Big West) | Seth Greenberg | |
| 1989-90 | 23-9 | 12-6 (Big West) | Joe Harrington | |
| 1988-89 | 13-15 | 10-8 (Big West) | Joe Harrington | |
| 1987-88 | 17-12 | 11-7 (PCAA) | Joe Harrington | |
| 1986-87 | 12-19 | 7-11 (PCAA) | Ron Palmer | |
| 1985-86 | 7-22 | 3-15 (PCAA) | Ron Palmer | |
| 1984-85 | 4-23 | 2-16 (PCAA) | Ron Palmer | |
| 1983-84 | 9-19 | 6-12 (PCAA) | Dave Buss | |
| 1982-83 | 13-16 | 6-10 (PCAA) | Tex Winter | |
| 1981-82 | 12-16 | 7-7 (PCAA) | Tex Winter | |
| 1980-81 | 15-13 | 9-5 (PCAA) | Tex Winter | |
| 1979-80 | 22-12 | 11-3 (PCAA) | Tex Winter | |
| 1978-79 | 16-12 | 7-7 (PCAA) | Tex Winter | AP #15 |
| 1977-78 | 16-13 | 7-7 (PCAA) | Dwight Jones | |
| 1976-77 | 21-8 | 9-3 (PCAA) | Dwight Jones | |
| 1975-76 | 14-12 | 6-4 (PCAA) | Dwight Jones | |
| 1974-75 | 19-7 | 8-2 (PCAA) | Dwight Jones | |
| 1973-74 | 24-2 | 12-0 (PCAA) | Lute Olson | AP #9 |
| 1972-73 | 26-3 | 10-2 (PCAA) | Jerry Tarkanian | AP #3 |
| 1971-72 | 25-4 | 10-2 (PCAA) | Jerry Tarkanian | AP #4 |
| 1970-71 | 24-5 | 10-0 (PCAA) | Jerry Tarkanian | AP #16 |
| 1969-70 | 24-5 | 10-0 (PCAA) | Jerry Tarkanian | AP #19 |
Cal Poly Mustangs · Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners · Cal State Fullerton Titans · Cal State Northridge Matadors · Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors · UC Davis Aggies · UC Irvine Anteaters · UC Riverside Highlanders · UC San Diego Tritons · UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
All Division I programs · Historical rankings · Championship journeys · Hoopsipedia home
| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|