The Rebels hire Brian Magbitang at the start of 2024, serving as the director of volleyball.
Magbitang most recently worked on the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball staff as the Video & Administrative Coordinator. He was instrumental to the program’s National Championship runner-up finishes at the 2021 and 2023 NCAA DI Volleyball Championships and the outright Big Ten Conference Championship in 2023. Originally joining the program in January 2020, he handled all aspects of coordinating game film, developing statistical reports for opponent scouting, and assisted with day-to-day administrative operations of the volleyball program. In his tenure, the team produced a combined record of 101-19 (.842). Produced 11 AVCA All-Americans, 17 All- Big Ten Selections and 19 AVCA All-Region honorees. During the recent 2023 season, Magbitang and the Cornhuskers finished with a 33-2 record and earned a no. 1 RPI ranking and the no.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He was also a key piece in helping the program break the world record for women’s sports attendance back in August of last year, drawing 92,003 fans to an outdoor football stadium match in Memorial Stadium against Omaha.
Magbitang was also previously at Oral Roberts as an assistant coach for the 2018 and 2019 seasons before stepping in as interim head coach. While with the Golden Eagles, Magbitang helped coach outside hitter CeCe Madison to an All-Summit League First-Team selection after she ranked 35th in the NCAA with 481 total kills.
Prior to his stint at Oral Roberts, Magbitang spent six years at Wichita State, including two years as a graduate assistant. While at WSU, the Shockers cumulated a 152-48 combined recorded with a winning percentage of .760. They also reached the NCAA tournament five times in the six season stretch, winning four NCAA tournament matches and reaching the program's first-ever NCAA Regional Semifinal. Claimed two Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles, two MVC tournament titles, and a perfect 20-0 conference record in The American Athletic Conference in 2017. Coached 7 AVCA All-Americans and 15 All-Conference players to include 3 conference player of the year awards. He assisted in the initiation and execution of drills, served as the Data Volley scout, applied a new camera system for Volleymetrics analytics and assisted in fundraising efforts and community outreach.
Magbitang also has worked extensively on the club circuit in Lincoln, Tulsa, and Wichita coaching at Nebraska Juniors Volleyball Club, Ultimate Performance Volleyball club, Shockwave Volleyball Academy and No Coast Beach Volleyball Club. Magbitang was the recruiting coordinator, master coach, and implemented skill focus for all ages in each of the clubs.
Prior to his work on the volleyball court, he spent eight years in the United States Air Force as a Technical Sergeant serving two overseas tours of duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As an electrical and environmental systems mechanic, he earned two Air Force Achievement medals and awarded an accelerated promotion given to less than five percent of all USAF members. With the Air Force, Magbitang was responsible for testing, troubleshooting, repairing and maintenance of assigned aircraft, primarily the KC-135. He also was a hands-on supervisor and resource manager in developing new Airman training programs.
Magbitang graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and also finished a master's degree in 2019 in the same discipline. He is married to McKenzie and has two daughters, Tatum Jo and Stevie Bee.Â
