LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Chris Beerman, a former Big East coach of the year, has joined the Kentucky volleyball coaching staff Coach Craig Skinner has announced Thursday.
Beerman spent the past eight seasons as the head coach at Pittsburgh where he held an overall 154-89 record that included a 2003 Big East tournament crown.
“Chris Beerman has been a winner at all levels,” said Skinner. “It’s a great day for our program and players to have him join our staff. We have moved quickly to find an excellent coach, and we have landed the best person for Kentucky volleyball.”
Beerman led the Panthers to two NCAA appearances, in back-to-back seasons. His team advanced to the NCAA second round in 2004. In 2003, Beerman was tabbed the Big East and AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year. During his tenure, he had three players named Big East Libero of the Year, two Big East Players of the Year and one named the Big East Rookie of the Year.
“I am very excited to join the Kentucky volleyball program,” Beerman said. “Coach Skinner has been a friend of mine for nearly 20 years, and he has done an amazing job building UK into a nationally competitive program.
I was awed by the volleyball facilities and administrative commitment and feel there is no limit to what Kentucky volleyball can achieve. I have a lot of respect for Craig and look forward to helping him and the team achieve their championship goals in the SEC and NCAA tournament.”
Prior to becoming the head coach at Pittsburgh, Beerman was the head coach at James Madison University from 1996-99. At JMU, Beerman went 90-36 and held an impressive 35-7 record in the Colonial Athletic Association. In his first season as a head coach, Beerman orchestrated the greatest turnaround in the country that season after leading the team to a 25-9 record, 16 more wins than the season before. His success continued as the Dukes claimed the 1998 and 1999 CAA titles and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1999. Beerman coached 14 All-CAA performers, two CAA Rookies of the Year and one CAA Player of the Year. Additionally, Beerman earned CAA Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons in 1998 and 1999.
He served one season (1995) as an assistant at the University of Louisville where he helped the team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and the Conference USA title.
Beerman also served three years as the assistant coach at the University of South Florida from 1991-94. While there, the Bulls were the 1993 Metro Conference champions and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament.
“He is a phenomenal teacher of the game,” Skinner said. “Chris really takes great pride in helping players improve and understand what it takes to be the best. We have big-time goals in this program and Chris will help us reach them.”
A standout player at Ball State from 1986-90, Beerman served as an assistant at his alma mater from 1990-91. As a collegiate player, he helped the Cardinals to three NCAA Final Four appearances and three Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) championships from 1988-90. He also was a two-time Volleyball Monthly All-America honoree and an All-MIVA selection.
Beerman still holds six records at Ball State and was a teammate of Skinner’s for one season.
The founder of the Valley Juniors Volleyball Club in Harrisonburg, Va., Beerman has served as head coach of several club programs, including the Kentuckiana Juniors Volleyball Association (1995), the Tampa Bay Juniors Volleyball Club (1992), as well as the South Florida (1991-93) and Ball State (1990-91) men’s club volleyball teams.
Additionally, Beerman was a member of the bronze medal 1986 and 1987 Olympic Sports Festival teams as well as a member of the training team for the 1991 World University Games. A 1991 graduate of Ball State with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, Beerman earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Louisville in 1995.
Married to the former Mary-Beth Singleton, Beerman and his wife have two children, Kendall and Jackson.
BEERMAN’S COACHING HISTORY
Pittsburgh, Head Coach, 2000-2008 [154-89]
James Madison, Head Coach, 1996-99 [90-36]
Louisville, Assistant Coach, 1995
South Florida, Assistant Coach, 1991-94
Ball State, Assistant Coach, 1990-91
Overall Record as a Head Coach: 244-125
