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Pepperdine did not have to look far to find the replacement for recently retired Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy.
Athletics director Steve Potts announced Monday that longtime assistant coach David Hunt was hired as the Waves new head coach.
“I want to thank everyone in the Pepperdine community for all their support through this transition,” said Hunt. “I am excited to continue the tradition and live up to the standard Marv has set as the men’s volleyball coach at Pepperdine. I look forward to sustaining the culture of excellence that has been set by those who have come before me.”
Hunt, a three-time recipient of the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award including this year, has spent the last 10 years on the Pepperdine coaching staff. Among his various roles with the Waves included being a video coordinator, volunteer assistant and assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach in 2014.
Pepperdine in each of Hunt’s four years as the associate head coach finished ranked in the top 10 of the national coaches poll.
The Waves ended 2017 regular season in sixth place in the MPSF and at No. 8 in both the national coaches poll and the national media poll.
Along with his college coaching experience, Hunt served as an consultant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team and helped guide the team win the 2016 Olympic bronze medal and the 2014 FIVB World Championship gold medal. In addition, Hunt helped coach the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team to a nation-best fourth-place finish at the 2011 FIVB U21 World Championship.
“I am very excited that David has accepted our men’s volleyball head coach position,” Potts said in a statement. “He is one of the most talented coaches in the sport, with extensive collegiate, national and international volleyball experience. Having served Pepperdine men’s volleyball for 10 years under the direction and guidance of Marv Dunphy, David is uniquely positioned and prepared to lead our team. I expect that David will enjoy a long and successful career as our head coach.”
Hunt will be the first permanent head coach at Pepperdine besides Dunphy since 1976. The Hall of Fame coach earlier this summer opted to retire but will remain at the school for the 2017-18 school to teach classes and assist with special projects for the athletics department.
“I am happy for the players, program and university,” Dunphy said in a statement. “David knows how to teach the sport and produce young men of character.”
Pepperdine returns several starters for Hunt’s inaugural season as the head coach, including All-American outside attacker David Wieczorek.