Chris Gonzalez enters his second season as a member of the Idaho volleyball coaching staff after being named the seventh head coach in program history in 2022.
For the last two decades, Gonzalez has coached some of the top teams and players from around the world. His experience includes ten seasons at the NCAA Division I level and over 500 international and professional matches worldwide.
Gonzalez has also served as a head and assistant coach with the USA women's national team, Netherlands national team, and Czech Republic junior national teams.
From 2019-2022 Gonzalez served as the setting coach and offensive coordinator for the Denso Corporation in Japan's top professional V.League. During his two seasons, Denso earned back-to-back V.League Final Fours - Denso's first appearance since 2006. Denso also earned a bronze medal in the 2021 Empress Cup. Denso setter Kanami Tashiro was selected to the 2021 Japanese National Olympic team, and current setter Tamaki Matsui is widely considered Japan's next great setter as they prepare for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Domestically, coach Gonzalez has coached in the Pac-12, Big West, Big South, and Big 10 Conferences. During his time as an assistant, Chris coached in four NCAA Final Fours 1997-1999 and 2001, culminating in the first-ever undefeated NCAA National Championship while at Long Beach State University in 1998, finishing the season a perfect 36-0. Gonzalez assisted in training two undefeated teams (35-0, and 34-0) to the NCAA national championship match. During that time Chris also assisted in the development of 15 NCAA All-Americans and two NCAA Players of the Year.Â
After five successful seasons at Long Beach State University, Gonzalez joined the USA women's national team staff as the head and assistant coach from 2001-2003. He coached Team USA to a medal at the FIVB World Championships, FIVB World Cup, FIVB World Grand Prix, and Pam American Games.
During his eight seasons in Europe, Gonzalez collaborated with some of the top teams and players in the world including 13 athletes who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. In total, Gonzalez has trained over 30 Olympians from Russia, Cuba, Netherlands, Japan, Serbia, and the USA, including Brankica Mihajlovic, Nancy Carillo, Bojana Zivkovic, Femke Stoltenborg, Rosir Calderon, Robyn De Kruijf, Laura Dijkema, Evgenia Artamonova, Maret Grotheus and Yurie Nabeya.
Gonzalez led teams went on to win three European national championships, three Super Cups, and three National Beker Cups, including a national championship in his first attempt as a head coach in 2009. In each season abroad, Gonzalez's teams qualified for CEV European Cup competition including the CEV Champions League, CEV Cup, and CEV Challenge Cup.
Gonzalez has also had great success at the junior level coaching seven USAV and AAU national championship teams. Most recently, Gonzalez coached with Mintonette Sports (Columbus, Ohio) and Sunshine Volleyball Club (Los Angeles, CA). From 2018-2021, both clubs enjoyed great success, earning 28 USAV bids, a combined 15 USAV and AAU All-American selections, and four AAU and USAV national championships.
Gonzalez was born in Southern California and graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in communication studies.
Vandal Volleyball Coaches
1974-76 – Kathy Clark
1977-83 – Amanda Burk
1984-88 – Pam Bradetich
1989-96 – Tom Hilbert
1997-99 – Carl Ferreira
2000-21 – Debbie Buchanan
2022-Current – Chris Gonzalez
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