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The University of Utah Athletics
Van Niel Named Utah Volleyball Assistant Coach
4/2/2015 12:00 AM | Volleyball
April 2, 2015
SALT LAKE CITY -- University of Utah head volleyball coach Beth Launiere has announced the hiring of JJ Van Niel as the new assistant volleyball coach. Van Niel replaces JJ Riley, who left Utah to take the head coaching position at Montana State.
"I am so excited to add JJ Van Niel to round out our staff along with Malia Shoji," Launiere said. "After an extensive process, JJ moved to the top of our search based on his ability to coach and analyze the game at the highest levels, his association with winning programs and the type of person he is that I believe will fit in well with the Utah Volleyball program.
"JJ is a proven top club coach, has collegiate experience in the men's game and has been involved with the USA Women's National Team. His vast knowledge and experience was what we were looking for to train and compete in the PAC-12 and to continue our success on the national level."
Van Niel comes to Utah after serving as a consultant coach/scoutman for the USA Women's National Volleyball Team, where he also served as a team leader and assisted in group training since 2013. Over the past year and a half with the USWNT, Van Niel was responsible for coordinating and performing various data analysis, game planning and assistance during on-court practices.
While with the USWNT, Van Niel helped lead the squad to a fourth-place finish at the 2013 U23 World Championships, a Silver Medal finish at the 2014 Volleymasters and a Gold Medal finish at the 2014 World Championships.
Since 2006, Van Niel has also worked with COAST Volleyball Club of San Diego, Calif., where he served as head coach of COAST's elite travel teams for the past five seasons. Most recently, Van Niel's 17-1 team won the Pacific Northwest National Qualifier and earned a bid to the USA Junior Nationals Open Division. In addition to his coaching duties, Van Niel also served as Chief Financial Officer for COAST Volleyball.
Over the past three seasons, Van Niel has coached four Open Division teams at the 16's and 17's level to a Gold Medal, Bronze Medal, fifth-place finish and a 10th-place finish at the USA Volleyball Girl's Junior National Championships. In eight national qualifiers, his teams earned five Gold Medals, a pair of Silver Medals and VolleyballNow.net named him Coach of the Year in 2012.
Van Niel has served as an assistant coach for UC-San Diego's men's volleyball program from 2011-2014 and most recently operated as head coach of La Costa Canyon High School where he took over head coaching duties of the volleyball program in 2014. Prior to his stint as head coach, he served in various different capacities at LCCHS since 2010.
Van Niel's coaching education includes being a USA Volleyball CAP Level III coach, working at the USA Volleyball High Performance Coaching Clinic and having completed both Gold Medal Square Level I and II programs.
"Beth's passion for both the Utah volleyball program and the University was apparent from the first time I spoke with her," Van Niel said. "I look forward to being a part of the amazing volleyball program she has built and to becoming a part of the University of Utah Athletics family. I would like to sincerely thank Beth and the athletic department for giving me this incredible opportunity to teach these wonderful student-athletes at the University of Utah."
Van Niel, who spent 12 years in the financial world before entering the volleyball-coaching field, is a 1998 graduate of USC, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Cum Laude.
What people are saying about Van Niel:
Karch Kiraly -- Head Coach, USA Women's National Team
"JJ has been a real contributor to our USA Women's National Team efforts, especially at the 2014 World Championships where the program won its first-ever major title. I congratulate both the Utah Women's volleyball program and JJ on the new hire."
Hugh McCutheon -- Head Volleyball Coach, Minnesota
"JJ is a wonderful volleyball coach. He has that rare quality of being comfortable with the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the job. He knows how to work and he's very thoughtful and passionate about the game. It's a great hire and I wish him and the Utah Volleyball program nothing but the best.
Ozhan Bahrambeygui -- Owner of COAST Volleyball Club
"JJ Van Niel will be the brightest new coach on the college scene. As a leader for our program, JJ's efforts were responsible for taking a struggling San Diego based club seven years ago and turning it into a perennial national powerhouse. Whether it be heading a high school program, crunching video for Karch at the World Championships, or leading club teams to gold medals at the Junior Nationals, JJ will bring value to the college game in every aspect. More importantly, the Utes are getting a professional whose character exceeds any skill set."
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