Central Michigan University Athletics
Olson Named Chippewa Volleyball Coach
6/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
June 2, 2004
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Erik Olson, an assistant coach at the University of Miami the past three seasons, has been named the head volleyball coach at Central Michigan University.
Olson becomes the fourth coach in the program's history which began in 1974.
"We are excited about the announcement of Erik Olson as our head coach," CMU Athletics Director Herb Deromedi said. "Erik has a great deal of experience being the top assistant at a the University of Miami, a Top 25-caliber program. Being a Wisconsin native, Erik is familiar with the Midwest and he's a proven recruiter."
Olson was the top assistant at Miami the past three seasons, assisting with the program since its inaugural season in 2001. At Miami, he had responsibilities in all aspects of the program and his primary coaching role was mentoring the middle blockers.
"I'm very excited about Central Michigan University," Olson said. "I will look to build on the volleyball program's recent success of last season's MAC West Division title. We will push to consistently be in the top four in the conference.
"CMU is a great university and it has a great campus. I'm looking forward to getting back in the Midwest. The MAC is a great conference because it allows the student-athletes to be just that, both students and athletes, which I think is important."
The Hurricanes advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2002 and were ranked in the final Top 25 poll that year. In his three seasons at Miami, the team posted a 66-22 record (.750).
Prior to Miami, Olson was the assistant coach at Wisconsin-Milwaukee for one season in 2000. The Panthers won the Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular season title that year and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Olson has extensive high school and club level coaching experience, including working with the USA Volleyball Men's Junior National team.
The 32-year-old Olson began his coaching career as the founder of the Marquette University High School boys' program in 1994 and he coached three seasons there. Olson also spent three seasons as the girls' varsity coach at Shorewood High School in Shorewood, Wis., from 1997-99.
From 1995-2001, Olson was the co-director and head coach of the North Shore Milwaukee Volleyball Club. There he directed all phases of the boys' Junior Olympic program that was one of the top clubs in the country.
He was co-head coach of the Boys' USA National High Performance Camp in Colorado Springs in 1999 and an assistant coach for the USA Men's Junior National Team in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 2000. The team won a bronze medal in the NORCECA Championships in Cuba.
Chippewa Senior Associate Athletics Director Marcy Weston, who coached the volleyball program for its first 15 seasons, is also excited about the hiring of Olson.
"We are pleased to have someone of Erik's background and Division I experience level," she said. "We think he will keep CMU very competitive in the MAC. We're looking forward to having he and his wife, Becky, join us."
The Milwaukee native graduated from Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1997 where he was a four-year letterwinner for the Panthers. He served as team captain in 1995 and upon the completion of his career ranked in the top five in several career statistical categories, including the school's all-time blocks leader.
He and his wife, Becky, were married in 2002.
Former head coach Elaine Piha stepped down from her position in March in order to pursue a career change. She coached the Chippewas for the previous six seasons.
CMU volleyball went 18-13 last season and finished first in the MAC West Division with an 11-5 conference slate. The division title was CMU's top finish since the conference broke into divisions in 1997. The Chippewas were the MAC regular season runner-up seven times prior to the divisional format.
CMU returns three starters from last year's team, including second team All-MAC picks Emily Lovejoy and Meghan Moore (2003 MAC "Freshman of the Year).
