Mike Gaffaney was a four-time national champion as a volleyball player at UCLA.
Mike Gaffaney to Lead Northwest Christian Volleyball
Eugene, Ore. - Northwest Christian College Athletic Director Corey Anderson announces the hiring of Mike Gaffaney as the new head coach for the women’s volleyball program. Gaffaney replaces the program’s first coach, Dale Weigandt who resigned in January.
Anderson said, “Mike brings to us a wealth of overall volleyball experience. He has played at a very high level, he has coached at the college and high school level and he has an extensive club background. Mike Gaffaney will be a great representative for Northwest Christian Volleyball and the college. We are very excited to have Mike as our newly appointed head volleyball coach.”
An industry leader in private club management, Gaffaney is currently the General Manager for the Eugene Swim & Tennis Club. He also has over 20 years of volleyball coaching experience at the high school, club and collegiate levels. Most recently, Gaffaney served as the girl’s varsity head coach at Pleasant Hill HS where he led the 2006 team to the state 4A tournament. Gaffaney is also the Club Director and a head coach with the Eugene based Storm’n West Volleyball Club and has been coaching at the U17 and U18 level since 1997. Gaffaney also played volleyball as an undergrad at UCLA where he was a four-time NCAA National Champion.
“In pursuing this opportunity I looked at three things,” said Gaffaney. “I wanted to become involved in a program that offered outstanding athletic facilities, had an administration and staff that express full support of the volleyball program and an institution that is committed to the student athlete. NCC exceeded my expectations in every area.”
Outgoing coach Dale Weigandt commented, “Mike is an outstanding choice and a great fit for the NCC athletic program. I believe he will be able to move the volleyball program in a positive way to a very competitive place.”
Gaffaney will begin his duties immediately with an eye on recruiting for the fast approaching Fall 2008 season. “Although the volleyball program is fairly young, they have all the necessary ingredients to become competitive,” said Gaffaney. “Dale and the members of the team have created a sound foundation for success. I’m incredibly excited to start working with the team and I know the team is ready to start preparing for the upcoming season.”
The Northwest Christian College volleyball team completed their first year of membership in the Cascade Collegiate Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the fall of 2007 with a 12-17 record. They took ninth place in the CCC with a 6-14 mark.