BERKELEY – Sam Crosson, a two-time Big West Coach of the Year at Cal Poly and former assistant coach at California, has agreed to become the next head volleyball coach for the Golden Bears.
 
Crosson returns to Berkeley after seven seasons at Cal Poly, where he successfully rebuilt a Mustangs program into a national contender with back-to-back postseason runs in 2017 and '18.
 
Crosson served as an assistant at Cal from 2010-11 under longtime head coach Rich Feller, when the Bears made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including an appearance in the national title game in 2010. The Bears also claimed the Pac-10 championship that season.
 
"I am thrilled that Sam Crosson has accepted our offer to become the head volleyball coach at Cal," Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton said. "Sam, who emerged from a deep and talented pool of candidates, is a proven leader with a track record of building successful programs the right way. He is deeply committed to developing student-athletes in the classroom, on the court and as future leaders. I look forward to Sam rejoining the Cal family in the New Year and returning our volleyball program to national prominence."

In his 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, Crosson has become a pillar of Bay Area collegiate volleyball with stops at Santa Clara and Saint Mary's, where he assisted both women's programs. He began his coaching career as a men's volleyball assistant at nearby Pacific, his alma mater. As a head coach, Crosson owns an overall record of 116-83, all with Cal Poly.
 
"I am truly honored and thankful for the opportunity to be the head coach for the Cal Volleyball program," Crosson said. "I would like to thank athletic director Jim Knowlton and the rest of the Cal athletic administration for entrusting me to lead this program into the future.  I look forward to returning to campus and beginning a new chapter in Cal Volleyball." 
 
Touted as a technician, Crosson was named the AVCA Pacific North Region and Big West Coach of the Year in 2017 after leading the Mustangs to their most successful season in program history with a 27-3 record. Cal Poly also picked up a Big West title after going undefeated in league play. Seven Mustangs earned all-conference honors and three were named AVCA All-Americans, as Cal Poly reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the Mustangs' Taylor Nelson, who was one of 12 players selected to the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team Thailand Tour in the spring of '17, was named Big West Player of the Year.
 
That same year, Crosson also led Cal Poly to its first sweep of perennial powerhouse Hawai'i since 1985, after a home win in front of the team's first sellout crowd since 2006 at Mott Athletics Center, in San Luis Obispo.
 
Crosson followed up on 2017's success this past season when the Mustangs earned their highest national ranking (11th) since 2008 and were just two wins shy of last year's record, finishing 25-3. Cal Poly clinched the conference title, added six players to the All-Big West team and advanced to the postseason, while Crosson picked up his second consecutive conference coach of the year honor. The Mustangs closed the season ranked 22nd and produced a pair of AVCA All-Americans for Adlee Van Winden and Torrey Van Winden, who was also named the Big West Player of the Year. It was the second such honor for both sisters and the first back-to-back All-Americans for the program since 2010.
 
The Mustangs also finished 2018 ranked sixth nationally in match win-loss percentage (.893) and seventh in hitting percentage (.290).
 
The past two seasons at Cal Poly were a far cry from where the program started during Crosson's first year at the helm, when the team went 4-26 in 2012. In 2013, the Mustangs reached double digits in victories and they improved to 19-8 in 2015 and 19-9 in 2016.
 
Crosson takes over a Cal program that finished 15-16 overall and 10th in the Pac-12 in 2018. He replaces Jennifer Dorr, who guided the Bears on an interim basis during the season.
 
Dorr, who has been a member of the Cal program since 2009, will stay on as an associate head coach.
 
"I appreciate the great work Jenn has done with the program over the last year and am thrilled that Sam has added her to his staff," Knowlton said. "They have worked together at Cal previously, and the partnership between these two talented coaches will benefit the student-athletes with their growth on and off the court."

Crosson graduated from Pacific in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in sports sciences. He then earned his master's in sports sciences from Pacific in 2005. Crosson was one of the top attackers in program history and was voted Pacific's Most Valuable Player in 1997. As a professional, Crosson played one season for Herentals Volleyball Club in Belgium.
 
A native of Santa Cruz, Crosson and his wife, Courtney, have two daughters, Makenna and Logan.
 
For more information on Cal volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @CalVolleyball.