Jon Newman-Gonchar

Position: Assistant Coach Experience: Second Season Alma Mater: Northern Arizona University '05

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Jon Newman-Gonchar is in his second season as an assistant coach with LMU volleyball. He became head coach Tom Black's first official hire when he joined the program on February 2, 2010. Serving as LMU's recruiting coordinator, Newman-Gonchar saw his 2011 class garner Highest Honorable Mention recognition according to PrepVolleyball.com.

Prior to coming to LMU, Newman-Gonchar spent three seasons working under Black as an assistant coach at UC San Diego. Over his three-year stint at UCSD, the Tritons managed a 70-18 (.795) overall record. Continuing to increase his stock as a coach, Newman-Gonchar was named to the 2010 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Awards list, which honors thirty of the up-and-coming volleyball coaches under 30 years old in the sport at all levels of the game.

While with the Tritons, Newman-Gonchar was involved with individual and team training, specifically focusing on on-court coaching, practice planning, video set up and analysis, and management of the competitive cauldron. He also served as the team's recruiting coordinator and was responsible for managing correspondence, evaluations, and visits with prospective student-athletes. Holding a hand in nearly every aspect of the program, he also operated the DataVolley video-statistical program, served as the camp coordinator and was responsible for all administrative duties involving the overnight UCSD Women's Volleyball Summer Camp.

Newman-Gonchar helped the 2009 Triton squad to an overall record of 29-3 and a ranking as high as No. 2 in the nation en route to a spot in the NCAA West Region semifinals. The Tritons' 2009 trip to the postseason marked the third consecutive visit in Newman-Gonchar's three-year tenure at UC San Diego. In addition, three UCSD student-athletes earned AVCA All-America recognition in his final year with the program, including Sylvia Schmidt, who took home a CCAA Player of the Year.

An assistant for both the UCSD men's and women's volleyball programs, Newman-Gonchar helped the women's volleyball team defeat the second-ranked team in the country and advance to the NCAA Pacific Regional Semifinals in 2007. In 2008, the Tritons handed then-No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino its first loss of the year and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, winning over 20 games for the 25th time in school history. His work with the men's program helped the Tritons to a school-record 13 wins and a top-10 ranking in 2009, with the team challenging for its first-ever MPSF playoff spot.

Newman-Gonchar spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, where he helped plan practices and trained the Cajuns' setters. He also compiled team statistics, arranged travel, reviewed opponent match film, and presented scouting reports to players and staff.

Prior to his stint at ULL, Newman-Gonchar spent the winter of 2006 with the Thompson Rivers University (British Columbia) men's volleyball program as it entered its Canada West inaugural season. As a first assistant coach, he assisted in all aspects of the program, including running drills, planning practice, training setters, assisting in recruitment efforts, and organizing community service projects.

At his alma mater, Northern Arizona University, Newman-Gonchar spent three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach. While at NAU, his responsibilities included preparing and running the practices for the non-travel party members. In addition, Newman-Gonchar was the voice of the "Almost Live with John and Jon" radio show, which was a live audio/video webcast of the team during match play.

While at NAU, Newman-Gonchar coached the setters on the High Altitude Volleyball Club as an assistant coach and was later promoted to head coach. In addition to his Club responsibilities, he also assisted with the Flagstaff High School girls' volleyball team.

Newman-Gonchar has worked on the National level as well, finding time with both USA Volleyball and Gold Medal Squared. His involvement with USA Volleyball began in the summer of 2007 as a coach at the HP A1 Select Camp at the University of San Francisco. He has worked with the USA Junior National Team since the summer of 2008 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., serving as a volunteer technical coach in 2008 and training coach in the summer of 2009. In addition, he has worked as a staff member for USA High Performance Tryouts since 2007.

Newman-Gonchar spent the summer of 2009 at the University of Minnesota as the training/technical assistant for the USA A2 Team which competed at the 2009 USA Adult Nationals, and has worked numerous summer camps for Gold Medal Squared since the spring of 2007. In 2011, Newman-Gonchar provided technical assistance at the USA National Team tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colo.

A native of Claremont, Calif., Newman-Gonchar played prep volleyball at Claremont High School before attending Northern Arizona. While at NAU, he was a member of the men's club volleyball program.

Newman-Gonchar received his bachelor's degree in Health Sciences from Northern Arizona in December 2005. He currently serves as the WCC representative on the AVCA Assistant Coaches Committee.