DU Looks To Replace Volleyball Coach


University of Denver head volleyball coach and DU alum Beth Kuwata has resigned after 16 seasons at the school. Most likely DU will look to bring in a coach that will take DU's volleyball program to the "next level."

Kuwata, who guided the Pioneers to a 13-16 record in 2011, resigns as DU’s all-time winningest volleyball coach with a 254-237 (.517) record. She also helped DU volleyball transition to Division I status in 1999.  Kuwata has been reassigned at Denver and will work with DU’s development staff.

As a student-athlete for the Pioneers from 1984-87, Kuwata was selected as the team’s most valuable player four times, was named to the All-Continental Divide Conference first team three consecutive seasons, and was named CDC player of the week once. She ranks as the Pioneers’ all-time leader in service aces (192), sixth in career assists (2,850), and 10th in digs per set (2.94) and attack percentage (.233).

7 comments:

dggoddard said...

Really says something about the state of DU athletics that a .500 record doesn't cut it these days.

DU has high profile coaches in most of their programs and you can safely assume that they have someone in mind that has had some success in the NCAA Tournament.

Anonymous said...

Beth is a terrific person, a team player and has been graduating stellar students for 16 years in a sport that has very low visibility here. On one hand, you can say that's a good career and let her keep doing it. I wouldn't mind if she had stayed on as coach. I can live with a low profile .500 volleyball program where the kids all graduate and have fun experiences.

On the other hand, the other teams at DU either are, or are trying to be, nationally prominent in their sports, and it's hard for a department to keep on average record coaches when the goal is to win on a national level in every sport you play. Volleyball is the one sport that never made it into anything beyond the league tourney. If CSU can make 17 straight NCAA tourneys, I think DU has that kind of potential, too.

Anyway, thank you Beth Kuwata. You were a terrific player for DU, and your coaching legacy of 16 years turned out some great kids, some fun moments and a clean program without incident. IN this day and age, that's something to be proud of, and I am glad she's sticking around to raise money for DU. Well done.

Anonymous said...

anon 9:18.... very well said.
Thanks Coach Kuwata for 16 quality seasons for the DU student athletes

Twister said...

My wife and I have been to a number of volleyball matches over the years, and it always seemed that Kuwata ran a first class program. 16 years is a good chunk of time, and I'm sure she left a positive footprint on the program.

Anonymous said...

What a slap in the face 9:18’s second paragraph is. With friends like you …

Anonymous said...

What did 9:18 say that was inaccurate?

Anonymous said...

It’s not like Scott has a record that’s as good as Kuwata. He's a
.500/average coach. If DU's goal is to win on a national level in every sport it plays, it should dump Scott for a higher profile coach.