Brian Gimmillaro named all-time great coach by USA Volleyball

by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications

Long Beach State University women's volleyball head coach Brian Gimmillaro is this year's recipient of the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award.

In receiving the 2003 Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division Award, Gimmillaro joins the company of the best volleyball coaches in history, including previous Olympic coaches as well as a few of his peers. The award is presented each year by USA Volleyball, the National Governing Body of the sport, to recognize the all-time great coaches of volleyball.

Regarded as one of the top volleyball minds in the country, Gimmillaro will begin his 19th season with "The Beach" later this year. The former Long Beach State graduate has taken the 49ers to new heights as one of the winningest and most successful volleyball programs over the past decade and a half.

Because of Gimmillaro, Long Beach State has earned a place among the nation's elite. With three national championships, eight Final Fours, 13 NCAA regionals and 17 NCAA tournaments to his credit, it is no wonder that Long Beach State enters every season as a national contender.

Over the past seven seasons, the 49ers have won one NCAA championship and have appeared in four Final Fours and six regional tournaments. Over that time, the team has gone an impressive 218-22 (.908).

Including the 2002 campaign, Gimmillaro has amassed an impressive .822 winning percentage (510-110) over 18 seasons. Against one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Big West, The Beach have won 78.5 percent (245-67) of their games, including eight conference crowns. In 16 consecutive seasons, Gimmillaro's teams have won at least 20 games. In eight of the last 12 years the team has won at least 30 games a season.

The team finished the 2002 season with a 28-4 record and a first round NCAA tournament appearance. On Oct. 19, Gimmillaro became the 20th coach in NCAA history to record 500 or more victories after a 3-0 victory over UConn.

Gimmillaro is a three-time national coach of the year, earning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and ASICS Tiger National Coach of the Year accolades in 1989 and 1998. In 1999, Gimmillaro was named the United States Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year, the only non-Olympic coach so honored.

In 1989, 1991 and 1994 Gimmillaro was named one of eight AVCA Regional Coaches of the Year. Gimmillaro has also earned Big West Coach of the Year honors six times (1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2001).

Gimmillaro's players are a testament to his program. In January 2001, the NCAA released its 20th Anniversary team. Of the six players chosen, three were Gimmillaro's former players. Those three players are like a who's-who of women's volleyball. All three were Olympians in Sydney in 2000, all three were National Players of the Year and all three led the 49ers to a national title.

Tara Cross-Battle, the current player-assistant coach for the USA Women's National Team, is a three-time Olympian (1992, 1996 and 2000) and a two-time World Player of the Year. Another National Team star, Danielle Scott, is a two-time Olympian (1996 and 2000). Misty May, who moved to the beach after college, is now regarded as one of the top beach volleyball players in the world.

Gimmillaro has coached six AVCA National Players of the Year. Cross-Battle and May have each won the award twice, while Scott and Antoinnette White each earned the honor one time.

There are currently five former Long Beach State players on the roster for the USA Women's National Volleyball Team: Cross-Battle; Scott; Tayyiba Haneef; Brittany Hochevar; and Elisha Thomas.

Gimmillaro's finest season came in 1998, when the 49ers became the first NCAA Division I volleyball team to finish the season undefeated. The Beach captured their third National title in Madison, Wisconsin, finishing 36-0. The team also won national titles in 1993 and 1989.

Before coming back to his alma mater, Gimmillaro coached at perennial volleyball powerhouse Gahr High School in Cerritos, Calif., from 1978-1985. During his tenure, he led his team to four CIF-Southern Section Championships (1978, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and Division-I State Championships in 1983 and 1984.

In 1984 and 1985, Gahr won the CIF Southern Section 5-A Division Championship and was a Division-I state finalist. In eight years, Gimmillaro compiled a stellar 142-15 (.905) record. All told, Gimmillaro sent eight consecutive teams to the CIF Playoffs. A national No. 1 ranking in 1984 was a testament to his success at Gahr.

During the same period, Gimmillaro served as the business manager for the USA Women's National Volleyball Team (1982-84). His duties included organization and development of publicity, budget, fundraising and promotion. He has also been the president and owner of the California Juniors Volleyball Club since 1982. His Cal Juniors teams have won many championships, including the 1984 and 1985 AAU 18-and-under titles, the 1982 and 1988 USVBA 18-and-under Championships and, most recently, a USA Junior Olympics title in 1998. He was also the head coach for a Southern California high school all-star team when it toured Taiwan (1980), England (1981), Finland and the USSR (1982).

Gimmillaro graduated from Long Beach State in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in economics. Gimmillaro and his wife, Dania, reside in Long Beach with their son, Stefan, and daughter, Lauren.

USA Volleyball's All-Time Great Coaches List

Donald S. Shondell Contemporary Division

* 1995-Doug Beal, Al Scates * 1996-Marilyn McReavy-Nolen, Don Shondell * 1997-Linda Dollar * 1998-No award presented * 1999-Marv Dunphy, Arie Selinger * 2000-Andy Banachowski, Carl McGown * 2001-Elaine Michaelis * 2002-Dave Shoji * 2003-Brian Gimmillaro

For more information, go to the USA Volleyball web site.