One season after the arrival of a new head coach, the UCLA women’s volleyball team has made another staff change.
Coach Mike Sealy has hired Dan O’Dell, who was a volunteer assistant coach with the team last season, as a permanent assistant coach on the staff. O’Dell is filling the vacancy left by Dan Conners, who was a UCLA assistant coach for five years and is now coaching at Nebraska as part of the staff of John Cook, whose daughter Lauren Cook is a setter on the Huskers after having transferred out of UCLA after the 2009 season.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to join the UCLA women’s volleyball program,” O’Dell said in a press release. “UCLA athletics has such a rich tradition, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that. … Dan Conners left some big shoes to fill and a mess in the office, but thankfully I wear the same size and brought a broom.”
Before coaching, O’Dell had a successful playing career. He was a setter for Pennsylvania State from 2003 to 2006 and was part of a Lion team that made it to the national championship game in 2006.
UCLA finished last season with a 22-9 overall record and was eliminated by Texas in the second round of the postseason. The 2010 season was one of transition, it being Sealy’s first year as coach after replacing Andy Banachowski, who coached the Bruins for 43 years.
Compiled by Vidur Malik, Bruin Sports senior staff.