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Rushing resigns as volleyball head coach
ECU SID
Issue date: 1/13/09 Section: Sports
Chris Rushing, East Carolina University's head women's volleyball coach for the past four seasons, has resigned from his position effective June 30, athletics director Terry Holland announced Monday.
Rushing, 41, accepted the top Pirate volleyball post in 2005 and quickly turned around a program that had recorded four consecutive losing seasons by guiding ECU to consecutive winning campaigns for the first time since 1977-78. In all, he completed his tenure with a record of 68-59 (.535), owning the highest overall winning percentage in school history.
"Coach Rushing has built a solid foundation for the future success of ECU Volleyball," said Holland. "More than that, he has been a terrific advocate for volleyball in eastern North Carolina and has built a strong local club program. We will begin the search process immediately and appreciate Coach Rushing's willingness to continue coaching our team until a new coach is on board."
After leading the Pirates to 20-11 and 19-12 marks during his first two years, Rushing followed with 16-17 and 13-19 records in 2007 and 2008, respectively. ECU also posted a 28-35 (.444) ledger in four years of Conference USA play under his guidance but claimed the program's first-ever league tournament victory in 2005 before following with another post-season triumph in 2007.
Rushing became ECU's 10th head volleyball coach in the school's all-time history after a seven-year stint as the head women's volleyball coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
In seven seasons at UT Martin, Rushing guided the Skyhawks to two Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, one OVC Tournament title and the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance. He left UT Martin with a 110-99 won-loss record.
Rushing also served as an assistant at Arkansas State University in 1996 and 1997, and as head coach at Dixie (Utah) College in 1994 and 1995 after working with the men's squad at alma mater Brigham Young University for three seasons beginning in 1992.
Rushing, 41, accepted the top Pirate volleyball post in 2005 and quickly turned around a program that had recorded four consecutive losing seasons by guiding ECU to consecutive winning campaigns for the first time since 1977-78. In all, he completed his tenure with a record of 68-59 (.535), owning the highest overall winning percentage in school history.
"Coach Rushing has built a solid foundation for the future success of ECU Volleyball," said Holland. "More than that, he has been a terrific advocate for volleyball in eastern North Carolina and has built a strong local club program. We will begin the search process immediately and appreciate Coach Rushing's willingness to continue coaching our team until a new coach is on board."
After leading the Pirates to 20-11 and 19-12 marks during his first two years, Rushing followed with 16-17 and 13-19 records in 2007 and 2008, respectively. ECU also posted a 28-35 (.444) ledger in four years of Conference USA play under his guidance but claimed the program's first-ever league tournament victory in 2005 before following with another post-season triumph in 2007.
Rushing became ECU's 10th head volleyball coach in the school's all-time history after a seven-year stint as the head women's volleyball coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
In seven seasons at UT Martin, Rushing guided the Skyhawks to two Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, one OVC Tournament title and the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance. He left UT Martin with a 110-99 won-loss record.
Rushing also served as an assistant at Arkansas State University in 1996 and 1997, and as head coach at Dixie (Utah) College in 1994 and 1995 after working with the men's squad at alma mater Brigham Young University for three seasons beginning in 1992.
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