Ball State will have plenty of options if it wants to hire someone with ties to the men’s volleyball program to be next head coach.
Coach Joel Walton announced earlier this week that he will retire following the 2021 season — his 23rd season as head of the program. This will be the second time since the program started in 1960 that Ball State will have an open search for a new head coach.
Below is a list of the former Ball State players and individuals connected to the program who have college coaching experience.
[Editor’s note: This is a compilation list. If an individual is listed it does not mean they have expressed interest in the Ball State men’s volleyball head coach opening or have applied for the position. Years in parentheses indicate the years they played for Ball State.]
Coaches with ties to Ball State
CJ Allard (Former Ball State radio announcer) — Coastal Carolina women’s volleyball assistant head coach
Jeff Aucoin (2013) — Harvard women’s volleyball assistant coach
Arnie Ball (1966-67) — Retired IPFW men’s volleyball head coach
Paul Baxter (1992-94) — Former U.S. Men’s Beach National Team coach
Chris Beerman (1990-93) — Former Pittsburgh women’s volleyball head coach
Russ Carney (1975-77) — Retired Michigan State women’s volleyball assistant coach
Todd Chamberlain (2006-09) — Louisville women’s volleyball assistant coach
Billy Ebel (2007-10) — Kansas women’s volleyball assistant coach
Kevin Furnish (1989-91) — Ball State men’s volleyball assistant coach
Zoran Grabovac (2003-06) — Former St. Ambrose men’s volleyball head coach
Mick Haley (1962-65) — Former women’s volleyball head coach of Texas, USC and U.S. National Team
Pete Hanson (1978-79) — Retired Ohio State men’s volleyball head coach
Steven Hendricks (1987-90) — Barry University women’s volleyball head coach
Greg Herceg (2010-12) — Baldwin Wallace men’s volleyball assistant coach
Kevin Laseau (1989-92) — Yale women’s volleyball associate head coach
Randy Litchfield (1981-84) — Former Ball State women’s volleyball head coach
Anders Nelson (2009-11) — Kentucky associate head coach
Matt McCarthy (2006-09) — Loyola men’s volleyball assistant coach
Ethan Pheister (2007-10) — South Carolina women’s volleyball assistant coach
Walt Pickerell (1971-72) — Former Ancilla College women’s volleyball assistant coach
Tom Pingel (1981-84) — Former USA Volleyball Senior Director of Indoor Events and High Performance
Robert Pulliza (1994-96) — Former Arkansas women’s volleyball head coach and Puerto Rican Women’s National Team assistant coach
Arturo Rivera (2004-05) — East Carolina women’s volleyball assistant coach
Jake Romano (2017-20) — Kentucky women’s volleyball volunteer assistant coach
Jeff Schmitz (2007-08) — Former UC Davis women’s volleyball assistant coach
Keith Schunzel (2001-04) — Kennesaw State women’s volleyball head coach
Dave Shondell (1977-80) — Purdue women’s volleyball head coach
John Shondell (1989-93) — Purdue women’s volleyball assistant coach
Kyle Shondell (Grandson of Don Shondell) — Indiana Tech men’s volleyball head coach
Steve Shondell (1974-77) — Former Ball State women’s volleyball assistant coach
David Siebum (2018-19) — McKendree men’s volleyball graduate assistant coach
Craig Skinner (1990-93) — Kentucky women’s volleyball head coach
Matt Sprague (2007-10) — Former Bradley women’s volleyball assistant coach
Jim Stone (1973-75) — Former Ohio State women’s volleyball head coach
Matt Sutherland (2012-15) — Former Ithaca College women’s volleyball volunteer assistant coach
John Waite (1984-87) — Former Ball State men’s volleyball assistant coach
Pete Waite (1979-81) — Former Wisconsin women’s volleyball head coach
Matt Walsh (2015-18) — Indiana women’s volleyball technical coordinator
Kyle Weindel (2000-03) — Former USC women’s volleyball assistant coach
Doug West (1979-82) — Former Indiana women’s volleyball head coach
Julian Welsh-White (2012-15) — Howard women’s volleyball assistant coach
Chad Weyenberg (1982-85) — Former Ball State women’s volleyball assistant coach
Shane Witmer (2012-15) — Former Ball State volunteer assistant coach
Larry Wrather (2010-14) — Fort Valley State men’s volleyball head coach