California State University Northridge Athletics
CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1994
- Class:
- 1989
Bob Samuelson was inducted into the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. Samuelson lettered for the nationally ranked CSUN Men's Volleyball team under head coach John Price in 1988 and 1989.
Samuelson captured Volleyball Magazine All-American honorable mention honors for CSUN as a senior in 1989, leading the Matadors with a single-season program-record 6.50 kills per set average. He still holds the CSUN career record for kills per set (5.31) after putting down 993 kills over 187 career sets. Samuelson still holds a share of CSUN's all-time record for kills in a match with 44 against George Mason in 1989.
During his senior campaign, he hit .353 on 1,203 attacks, adding 20 aces, 199 digs, and 108 total blocks to earn second-team All-WIVA honors.
Following his two-year stint at CSUN, Samuelson became a member of the U.S. National Volleyball Team from 1989-94. Samuelson helped the United States capture a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, where he famously led Team USA in aces and blocks. Professionally, he played three seasons in Japan for the Suntory Sunbirds, capturing league MVP honors and a league championship
Additionally, the 6-5 middle blocker was a member of the All-Spectacular World Championship team in 1990, the World All-Star Gala team in 1993, and the World Super Four All-Tournament team in 1993 while gaining Most Valuable Player honors at the Spain Cup in 1992. He left the U.S. National Team this year to join the Sun Tory Sunbirds, a Japanese Professional team based in Osaka, Japan.
AÂ graduate of Westchester High School, Samuelson attended Pierce College before coming to Northridge. He returned to CSUN to serve as an assistant coach under Jeff Campbell for two seasons in 1998 and 1999. He graduated from CSUN in 1989.
In May 2026, Samuelson was officially inducted into the prestigious Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame (SCIVBHOF) alongside former CSUN assistant coach Jerritt Elliott.
