Florida Names Ken Ko Assistant Volleyball Coach
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 | Volleyball
University of Florida head volleyball coach Mary Wise announced on Tuesday that Ken Ko has been named assistant volleyball coach.
“We are thrilled to have Ken join our Gator family,” Wise said. “He has a wealth of experience that we will utilize both on and off the court.”
A 13-year veteran of the coaching ranks with eight years on the collegiate bench, Ko arrives in Gainesville after a two-year stint as associate head coach at Washington State University. Prior to that appointment, he served as an assistant on the Cougar staff in 2005. During his time in Pullman, Ko's duties included coordinating the team's defensive and blocking schemes, leading WSU to the Pacific-10 Conference team blocking title and a top-10 national ranking in 2005. He was also part of a youth movement at Washington State, as four of his prot?g?s were named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman in just three years on the job.
Eight Washington State players were also named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team during Ko's tenure at WSU, while 10 Cougars were honored by the University for their academic achievements.
“It's a great privilege to be a Gator,” Ko said. “I want to thank Mary for the incredible opportunity to be part of the legacy and tradition of this championship-caliber program.”
Ko's other collegiate stops include a three-year term at Cal State Fullerton from 2002-04, where he served as the Big West Conference Assistant Coach representative to the American Volleyball Coaches Association and helped guide the Titans to a school-record 11 home wins in 2004. He also served single-year appointments at San Francisco and Colgate, respectively.
Ko has also made a name for himself in the USA Volleyball program, most recently acting as co-head coach of the Junior National A2 Blue Team that took fourth in the international division at the 2006 High Performance Championships. He also took on assistant coach duties for the Junior National A2 Team in both 2005 and 2006, in addition to serving as a court coach at the Junior National Team tryouts in at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ko started his coaching career at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., where he held the title of girls head coach and program director from 1995-2000 before assuming the same role with the boys program in 2001. Named the Contra Costa Times Coach of the Year in 1998, Ko guided the Miramonte girls team to a 151-24 overall record and four league titles. The squad also won the CIF section crown and advanced to the state semifinals in 1996.
While at Miramonte, Ko aided in the development of Nicole Branagh, a two-time All-American at Minnesota and the 2005 AVP Tour Rookie of the Year. Since entering her first main draw on the beach in 2004, Branagh has earned more than $100,000 in prize money and has partnered with both Hollie McPeak and Elaine Youngs – the duo that won the bronze medal on the sand at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Branagh was also a member of the U.S. National Team from 2001-03, winning a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in her final year with the squad.
He also worked with the Golden Bear Volleyball Club in Berkeley, Calif., from 1999-2002, helping lead the Forefront 18s to a 13th-place showing at the 2001 Junior National Championships in Salt Lake City.
A 1993 graduate of UC Davis, Ko earned a bachelor of science in physical education with an emphasis in biomechanics, while also playing three seasons as an outside hitter for the Aggies' varsity men's volleyball team. Following his graduation, he worked in the field of physical therapy in Oakland from 1993-2000.
Ko replaces former Florida assistant Ryan Theis, who was named head coach at Ohio University on March 17.
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