April 12, 2006
Notre Dame women’s volleyball associate head coach Robin Davis has tendered his resignation in order to be hired as the new head women’s volleyball coach at Boise State University. Davis spent five seasons as an assistant with the Irish, helping Notre Dame become one of the nation’s elite blocking teams and win over 77% of their matches during that time, culminating with one of the best seasons in program history in 2005.
Boise State director of athletics Gene Bleymaier announced the selection of Davis on Friday. The eighth head coach since the inception of the Broncos’ program in 1975, he will begin his duties on April 14. Davis fills the position vacated by Scott Sandel, who left Boise State last month to take a high school-teaching and coaching position in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas.
“When I came to Notre Dame, I came with no hesitation,” said Davis, who will be a collegiate head coach for the second time after filling that role for 10 years at Biola (Calif.) University (1987-88 and ’91-98). “Even before I visited, I was sold in my mind and heart that this was where I wanted to be; I really wanted to coach with [head coach] Debbie Brown and to be involved in a top-25 program. Going out five years later, it was everything I thought it would be and much more. [Director of athletics] Kevin White, [deputy director of athletics and women’s volleyball administrator] Missy Conboy, and Debbie were nothing but generous and really supportive of me throughout my entire time here. It would be easy for me to stay here for 10 or 15 years, and I could have done that and been happy with the choice.”
Davis is the latest in a long line of former teammates, players, and coaches associated with Brown that have gone on to be head coaches. In fact, he is the fourth of her Irish assistants that have gone on to become Division I head coaches, following in the footsteps of Devin Scruggs (ND assistant in 1993; head coach at Nevada since 1997); Steve Schlick (ND assistant from 1991-95; head coach at Cal Poly from 1996-2004); and Jim McLaughlin (ND assistant in 1996; head coach at Kansas State from 1997-2000 and at Washington since 2001), who led the Huskies to the 2005 NCAA championship.
“I am really happy and excited for Robin and the opportunity he has,” said Brown. “At the same time, I am really sad that he is leaving our program. He has been an amazing assistant coach – his loyalty is unmatched and he is a great teacher, great recruiter, and has been an outstanding ambassador for our university. His teaching has been an integral part of our success over the past five years. I know he’ll do a great job at Boise State. He is very qualified and is definitely ready to be a Division I head coach. We have really profited from his knowledge and character, and I feel very fortunate that we were able to keep him here for five years.”
Davis will take over a Boise State program that graduates only two players from last year’s squad that was 8-18 and finished eighth in the Western Athletic Conference with a 3-13 record. The Broncos – who were 17-12 in 2004 – are looking for their first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament.
“When visiting the Boise State campus, seeing the community and researching the WAC, I REALLY liked everything,” said Davis. “After meeting with the team and staff, I know this is a great fit. I am elated.”
A 17-year veteran of the college game, Davis assisted in all aspects of the Irish program, took a lead role in recruiting and scouting, and developed Notre Dame into one of the top blocking teams in the country. The Irish finished among the top six in Division I in blocking in all five years of Davis’ tenure, after having never been in the national top 10 prior to that. He also was instrumental in the development of middle blocker Lauren Brewster, who just concluded her career as a two-time AVCA All-American and one of the top players in Notre Dame history.
Over the past five seasons, the Irish amassed a record of 120-35 (.774) and won at least a share of the regular-season BIG EAST Conference championship in each campaign. Notre Dame was ranked in the AVCA top 25 and advanced to the NCAA tournament each year. He helped the Irish turn in one of their best seasons ever in 2005, as Notre Dame finished 30-4 and reached the round of 16 of the NCAAs for the first time since 1997. The Irish were 4-0 against top-10 teams and peaked at an all-time high of fifth in the AVCA poll before matching their best finish at 12th.
Before moving to the Midwest to join the Irish staff, Davis was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Northern Arizona. Davis spent two seasons at NAU, helping it qualify to the NCAA tournament in 1999 for the first time in school history. Northern Arizona also captured a share of the Big Sky Conference title in 2000, another program first. Davis served as NAU’s recruiting coordinator and was heavily involved in on-court coaching, focusing on the middle blockers and helping with advance scouting, as well.
In his last head-coaching stint, Davis led Biola University to the NAIA national semifinals twice, including a loss in the title match in 1997. His Biola squads posted 20 wins six times, advanced to the regional semifinals seven times, and captured two league titles. In `97, Biola earned the national sportsmanship award. Davis left Biola as the winningest coach in the history of the school, accruing 221 wins and a .734 winning percentage.
A 1979 graduate of Northern Arizona with a degree in physical education, Davis also served as athletics director and assistant principal at Brethren Christian High School in Cypress, Calif., spending nine years coaching volleyball, basketball, and baseball.
As a player, Davis was a member of the NAU men’s volleyball club team while in college and spent time on the USVBA indoor tour (1979-85), the beach volleyball circuit (1982-87), and the AVP tour (1986-87).