2009 Women's Volleyball
Glen Conley
- Class:
- Redshirt
On January 25, 2007, Kent State University Director of Athletics Laing Kennedy announced the hiring of Glen Conley as the seventh head volleyball coach in the 31-year history of the program. Conley, formerly the head coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point, replaced Mora Kanim, who resigned following the 2006 season.
“I am very pleased to have someone of Glen’s experience and success, at a prestigious institution such as Army, come to Kent State as our head coach,” Kennedy said. “I have a tremendous respect for the type of program they have at Army and to have Glen join our staff is a credit to Kent State.”
In 2008 Conley led the Flashes to their second best start in KSU volleyball history by winning 10 out of the first 13 matches. Eight of these victories also helped the Flashes become champions of the Colgate Classic, University of Maine Tournament and the Air Force Academy Tournament. Despite the start, the success did not continue through the season, with the Flashes losing in the first round of the MAC Tournament to Northern Illinois.
As an 18-year volleyball coaching veteran with over 370 coaching victories, Conley guided the Golden Flashes to the most successful season in the program’s past 20 years in his first year at the helm during the 2007 season. Kent State’s overall record of 22-10 was the Flashes’ best finish since 1987. KSU also advanced past the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since the 1997 season.
Conley came to KSU after enjoying a great deal of success in his eight-plus years at West Point. Conley guided the Black Knights to the Patriot League tournament every year from his arrival in 1999, advancing to the championship match three times (2001, 2004, 2005). A three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Conley amassed a 142-89 (74-34 Patriot League) record at Army.
“I am very excited about joining the staff at Kent State,” Conley said. “I am looking forward to becoming a part of the athletic community at Kent State. I am also excited about the commitment that the university has shown to develop a championship program.”
The 2005 campaign brought about a first for the Army volleyball program and the Patriot League. On Oct. 8, the Black Knights became the first Patriot League team to defeat defending four-time conference champion American University, who at the time of the match, had a perfect 70-0 league mark since joining the conference in 2001. After the season, Conley was recognized by his fellow coaches as the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second straight season and the third time overall that he was recognized.
In 2004, Conley reached two coaching milestones. On Oct. 15, he earned his 300th career head coaching victory with a 3-0 sweep over Colgate. Then on Nov. 19, in the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament in Washington, D.C., Conley recorded his 100th Army win, which propelled the Black Knights to the title match for the second time in four seasons. In addition, Conley was named as the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
Conley earned his first Coach of the Year accolade after leading Army to an 11-4 record during the second half of the 2002 season and a No. 4 seed in the league tournament.
As a result of that dramatic turnaround in 2002, the Black Knights were able to post their fourth consecutive winning season in the Patriot League under Conley’s guidance, and returned to the postseason tournament for the fourth time in as many years.
Conley has won five Coach of the Year awards during his illustrious career. A 1979 graduate of Mid-American Conference rival Bowling Green State University, he was tabbed as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991, while a coach a Edinboro University. During his eight-year tenure with the Fighting Scots, Conley posted a mark of 195-81 and left as one of the school’s all-time winningest coaches.
Conley, whose coaching career began as an assistant at the University of South Carolina in 1984, moved from Edinboro to Houghton College in 1994, guiding the Highlanders to a 14-13 record in his lone season with the NAIA program. He left Houghton in 1995 for West Point, but not as the women’s volleyball coach. Conley accepted a job as an assistant to Jerry Quiller, Army Track & Field coach.
Conley had served as an assistant track & field coach while at both Edinboro and Houghton, and decided to move his family to West Point to join Quiller’s staff as his jumps coach when the opportunity presented itself.
A world-class high jumper himself, Conley is the world record holder in the high jump in the over-40 age group. In 1998, he became the first man over the age of 40 to clear seven feet and currently holds the world masters’ mark at 7-0 5/8 inches (2.15 meters). Conley used a leap of 6-10 3/4 to capture the gold medal in the high jump at the 1999 Empire State Games on Long Island.
A native of Middlefield, Ohio and a graduate of Cardinal High School, Conley sees the opportunity at Kent State as a win win. “It’s an opportunity to come home and do the two things I love most, coach volleyball and spend time with my family,” Conley said.
Conley is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, USA Volleyball, and USATF. He has also served as an NCAA East Regional Ranking Committee Member since 2005. He received his master’s degree in exercise science from Cleveland State University.
Conley, and his wife, Pam, have three children: Michael, Mackenzie, and Jennifer.
The GLEN CONLEY File
Birthdate: Feb. 4, 1963
Hometown: Middlefield, Ohio
Family: Wife Pam, son Michael and daughters Mackenzie and Jennifer
Alma Mater: Bowling Green State University, bachelor’s degree in history (1979)
Year at Kent State: Third
Career Record: 386-210 (.648)
Coaching Experience: 20th season
Coach of the Year Honors: Patriot League (2002, 2004, and 2005) and Pennsylvania State Athletic League (1990 and 1991).
Coaching Experience
• Kent State University
Head Coach, 2007-present
• United State Military Academy (Army)
Head Coach 1999-2006
• Houghton College
Head Coach, 1994
• Edinboro University
Head Coach, 1986-93
• University of South Carolina
Assistant Coach, 1984-85
