The Scarlet & Gray hired the former 2018 NEC Coach of the Year, Ken Ko, to the coaching staff at the start of the New Year in 2024.
He arrives in Las Vegas after running the helm at Long Island University. While leading the Sharks, Ko guided his team to eight consecutive Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament appearances, three NEC regular season titles, two NEC Tournament championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He has served on the NCAA East Region advisory committee and the AVCA D1 All-Region Award Committee.
Prior to Brooklyn, he served as an associate head coach at the University of San Francisco for five seasons. There, Ko was responsible for coordinating team training, opponent scouting and game management, and also worked with the school's sand volleyball program. In Ko's time at USF, the Dons earned three-straight AVCA Academic Team Awards from 2011-13. In 2013-14, he severed as the West Coast Conference's AVCA Assistant Coach Representative.
A 20-year coaching veteran, Ko joined the USF staff after a two-year stint at the University of Florida. During both seasons, the Gators advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament and finished 25-6 in 2009, and 27-4 in 2008. Florida won the Southeastern Conference Championship in 2008.Â
Â
Before moving to Gainesville, Ko spent three seasons at Washington State University from 2005-07. He served as the associate head coach during his final two seasons in Pullman. Ko's responsibilities included coordinating the team's defensive and blocking schemes. During his time with the Cougars, his team won a Pac-10 conference blocking title and finished in the top 10 in blocking in the country in 2005.
Â
Ko also spent three years at California State Fullerton from 2002-04, where he helped guide the Titans to a school-record 11 home wins in 2004. Before heading to Fullerton, Ko was an assistant coach for one season at Colgate University, after beginning his collegiate coaching career at USF in 2000 as a volunteer assistant coach.
Â
In addition to his collegiate experience, Ko has significant national and international experience working with the USA Volleyball program. He has coached for the Northern California Volleyball Association at the 2011, 2014 and 2019 European Global Challenge Tournament in Pula, Croatia, where he led his team to a sixth place finish out of 14 teams. And he was an assistant coach for the Junior National Select A1 Team in Fort Lauderdale in 2008, along with being an assistant coach for the Junior National Select A2 Team in both 2005 and 2006.
Ko began his coaching career at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif. as head coach and program director for the girl's program in 1995. In six seasons, his teams went 151-24 and won four league titles. His 1996 Miramonte team won a California Interscholastic Federation section title and advanced to the state semifinals. Ko was named Contra Costa Times Coach of the Year in 1998.
Â
Ko received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education (Biomechanics) from the University of California-Davis in 1993. He played volleyball for the Aggies for three seasons as an outside hitter. After graduation he worked in the physical therapy field until 2000. Â
