Brian Wright took the floor of Savage Arena on Thursday, formally introduced as the University of Toledo volleyball coach at a news conference.
The longtime college assistant joined the Rockets following a stint at Ohio State. He also previously coached at Texas Christian and Texas, and he also has coached at the club level with 14 USA Junior National appearances to his credit.
"I wanted to find a place where I can grow the program and do more with the program, but I wanted to be a part of something bigger," Wright said. "I wanted to be a part of a university that wants to grow and a community that wants to grow and get better at volleyball. That is Toledo. I think we can do something really special here and make Toledo a volleyball city and a volleyball school. I know with the time we put in, we can get the program there.”
Wright is the eighth head coach in program history. He replaces Jason Oliver, who joined the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Grand Rapids Rise as an assistant coach.
The Rockets tied for sixth in the Mid-American Conference last fall, going 10-8 in conference play and 17-15 overall.
"It's the right time for volleyball to take the next steps,” Wright said. “This city has the ability to support women's sports, and for three and a half months we are playing in Savage Arena. We'll play good volleyball and have a lot of fun doing it. We will have a great team to watch and will put on the best game-day environment in the MAC. We can't wait to get in front of our fans."
UT Director of Athletics Bryan Blair said Wright’s efforts at the collegiate and club levels, especially when it comes to recruiting, made Wright attractive to the Rockets.
Wright has coached 36 collegiate All-America selections during his career, including five at Ohio State.
"From our first conversation, it was clear that Brian shares our vision for Toledo volleyball and how it may positively impact our university and northwest Ohio community," Blair said. "He has a passion for developing young people, growing the game of volleyball, and a burning desire to be a Toledo Rocket. The popularity of women's volleyball is growing at a breakneck pace. The future of Toledo volleyball is equally as bright with Brian as our new leader."
First Published January 17, 2025, 1:35 a.m.
