Feb. 9, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Tim Horsmon has been named the head coach of the University of Maryland volleyball program, director of athletics Deborah A. Yow announced Saturday. Horsmon comes to College Park after five highly successful seasons as head coach at the University of Dayton. He becomes only the third head coach in the 36-year history of the Terrapins' program and replaces Janice Kruger, who retired in January after 20 years as head coach.

"I think the vision for Maryland's volleyball program is very exciting," said Horsmon. "It has a lot of potential to be a great program and a national contender. The prestige of the program at Maryland, due in large part to the great job that Janice did during her tenure, also made this a great opportunity. I'm so excited that this is a great fit.

"Coming home is a big deal for me," said Horsmon, who has strong Maryland ties. "I'm still a Maryland fan and my family and friends are still there. The chance to make a difference at a school I care about and in a volleyball community I'm familiar with was very attractive."

Horsmon's collegiate career ranks among the greatest starts in NCAA history. In nine years as a Division I head coach, his teams have earned eight trips to the NCAA Tournament, eight conference championships (including a 17-1 record in conference tournament play), and a tremendous 225-93 (.708) overall record. His teams have amassed an amazing 93-10 record (.903) in conference regular-season matches at both Dayton and Robert Morris.

"Maryland is delighted that Tim is our new head coach for volleyball," said Yow. "Chief of Staff Cheryl Levick and the sport supervisor for volleyball, senior associate A.D. Michael Lipitz, conducted this successful search. They and their committee hired their number one choice. Coach Horsmon shares our goal of winning the NCAA Championship, building on the base established by Janice Kruger. We look forward to this exciting new era in Maryland volleyball."

From 2003 through 2007, Horsmon led the University of Dayton to unprecedented success. In five seasons, his teams won four Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) and earned four NCAA Tournament berths (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) -- the first conference championships and NCAA berths in program history.

His 2007 team finished with a 33-2 overall record, a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance and a ranking in the CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, reaching as high as 12th during the season. Horsmon was named the 2007 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year and the 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.

At Dayton, Horsmon coached four consecutive A-10 Players of the Year (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), back-to-back Atlantic 10 Setters of the Year (2005, 2006), two A-10 Rookies of the Year (2003, 2007), four A-10 Most Outstanding Players of the Year (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) and eight AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans.

"I'm leaving an incredible place," Horsmon said of Dayton. "It took an amazing situation to get me to consider leaving and I think that's what Maryland offers. Debbie, Cheryl and Michael have been unbelievable. Their excitement about the program and their vision for the future makes me think this will be a great fit. Coming home to be part of this program's future is great for us."

Saint Louis University head coach Anne Kordes, who competed against Horsmon in the Atlantic 10, believes Horsmon will have Maryland at the top of the ACC standings sooner rather than later.

"Tim is absolutely an excellent choice," Kordes said. "He has won every single place that he's gone. His ability to recruit, his ability to train and his ability to motivate will make Maryland one of the top teams in the ACC in a short period of time and they will stay there. He's going to build a powerhouse program."

Celene McGowan, assistant Atlantic 10 commissioner, echoed Kordes' sentiments.

"I have worked with Tim over the past five years and he is incredible," she said. "I have watched Tim take an OK program and move them to national prominence. Tim has an incredible drive to win and compete at the highest level. Tim's student-athletes share the same passion for the game as well as the discipline he instills in them carries over to their studies and how they conduct themselves off the court. Tim really gets it. He realizes what it takes to move a program to the next level and I have no doubt he will shortly have Maryland atop the ACC and in the national spotlight."

From 1999 through 2002, Horsmon served as head coach of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Almost immediately, he turned around a program coming off five consecutive losing campaigns. In four seasons, Horsmon guided the Colonials to three Northeast Conference regular-season championships (1999, 2001, 2002), four Northeast Conference Tournament championships (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. His record in conference play was a dominating 42-2. Horsmon earned Northeast Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1999 and 2002.

In addition to his collegiate experience, Horsmon served as head coach of the Adidas Penn Juniors 18-year-old Elite team and the Southern Maryland Juniors - both club Junior Olympic teams. The Adidas Penn Juniors were regionally ranked on the east coast. The Southern Maryland Juniors were ranked No. 1 in the Chesapeake Region in 1999.

Horsmon, a Maryland native, began his career in 1996 as head coach at Calvert High School in Prince Frederick, Md. In three seasons, he amassed a 60-5 record and won the Class 3A Maryland State Championship and a regional title in 1998. That year, Horsmon was named Washington Post Coach of the Year.

Horsmon holds a bachelor of science from Frostburg State University (1991) and a teaching certificate from Salisbury State University (1993). He is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and serves as a poll voter for the USA Today/AVCA Top 25.

HORSMON HIGHLIGHTS