Title: Volleyball Coach
Company: USA Volleyball
Location: Glendale, WI
Education: MBA with Emphasis in Sports Management, Loyola University Chicago
Career History: Cerro Coso Community College (2022-Present);
Volleyball Coach, USA Volleyball (2007-Present);
Athlete, USA Volleyball (1998)
Andy S. Cole, MBA, Volleyball Coach at USA Volleyball, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of sports.
The youngest of three, Mr. Cole first gravitated toward his profession at a young age when his older brother brought home a volleyball and he was invited to play with him. After his brother taught him basic volleyball skills like passing, setting, and how to correctly spike, the two played together often. As he advanced through school, he became involved in more organized sports and developed not just his confidence as an athlete, but a love and passion for the games and culture built around them.
Mr. Cole served as an athlete for USA Volleyball, the national governing body of the sport that is responsible for teams that compete in major competitions, such as the Olympic Summer Games, beginning in 1998. A student at Ohio State University, he was named to the USA Junior National Team at Ohio State University in 2002, was recognized as the MIVA Freshman of the Year the following year, and became a member of the OSU Final Four Team in 2005. Upon earning his degree, he pursued further education at Loyola University Chicago, where he obtained a Master of Business Administration in sports management and held the position of assistant for its women’s volleyball program. Since 2007, he has excelled as a coach within USA Volleyball, a role in which he teaches and trains young players, and wields particular expertise for blocking skills and serving. In addition, he has competed internationally, found success as the assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s programs at Lewis University from 2010 to 2012, and became the volleyball technical coordinator on the coaching staff for Milwaukee Athletics in 2015.
In recognition of his effectiveness as an athlete and a leader, Mr. Cole has been a two-time national semifinalist and was honored with a Thirty Under 30 Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association in 2011 at 27 years old—which he considers the highlight of his career. He is a dedicated member of the organization and a former affiliate of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Outside of the volleyball court, he practices his faith at Fox Point Lutheran Church, and spends his spare time reading, hiking, talking, and watching sports. Looking ahead toward the future, Mr. Cole aspires to become head coach at a major Division 1 university.