Bond Shymansky Named Iowa Volleyball Head Coach

Jan. 31, 2014

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa Director of Athletics Gary Barta has announced Bond Shymansky as the new head coach of the Hawkeye volleyball program. Shymansky, a UI alum and Iowa City native, is the 9th head coach of the program.

“The Big Ten is the most competitive volleyball conference in the country,” Barta said. “I was thrilled when Bond agreed to lead our program. He has a strong track record as a head coach in the sport of volleyball and he has deep Iowa ties.”

“This is such an unbelievable opportunity for me as an Iowa City native and Hawkeye alum. But more importantly, it’s a huge opportunity as a volleyball coach to be a Hawkeye and match the level of determination, intensity, commitment and expectation that the administration and Gary Barta have for the volleyball program’s future success,” Shymansky said.

In his 12-years as a head coach, Shymansky has produced 24 all-conference honorees, three conference players of the year, two conference Freshman of the Year honorees, 17 AVCA All-Americans, two AVCA Region Freshman of the Year selections, and eight professional volleyball players. He has amassed a career record of 289-109 (.729).

“This is such an unbelievable opportunity for me as an Iowa City native and Hawkeye alum. But more importantly, it’s a huge opportunity as a volleyball coach to be a Hawkeye and match the level of determination, intensity, commitment and expectation that the administration and Gary Barta have for the volleyball program’s future success.”
Bond Shymansky

Shymansky arrives at the University of Iowa after spending five seasons (2009-13) at the helm of the Marquette volleyball program, where he has developed a winning culture and created a postseason tradition. On his watch, the Golden Eagles earned their first NCAA berth and NCAA victory in school history in 2011, and returned to the postseason in 2012 and 2013. Marquette also won its first Big East regular season title and Big East Tournament championship in 2013.

Shymansky was instrumental in the accomplishment of many more firsts for the Marquette volleyball program. He developed 10 honorable mention All-Americans and the program’s first third team All-American, helped the program accomplish its first-ever Top 25 national ranking and a No. 8 RPI rating in 2013, and signed the first top 25 ranked recruiting class in program history.

Shymansky, a two-time Big East Conference and Regional Coach of the Year, also understands the importance of academic success. The Golden Eagles posted a team grade point averages of 3.3 or higher each season of his tenure.

Before Marquette, Shymansky spent seven seasons as the head coach at Georgia Tech (2002-09), where he guided the Yellow Jackets to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen finishes, and three Atlantic Coast Conference championships. In his tenure, Georgia Tech posted an overall mark of 172-64 (.729), including a 96-38 (.716) record in ACC action, and earned No. 4 and No. 6 RPI rankings.

Shymansky produced a first team All-American and a three-time second team All-American at Georgia Tech, signed a Top 5 recruiting class, and was named ACC Conference and Regional Coach of the Year.

Shymansky has a deep understanding of what it means to be a Hawkeye, as he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 1995 and a Master of Arts in English Education in 1997 from the UI. From 1991-93, Shymansky was a setter and outside hitter on the UI men’s volleyball club team.

He and his wife, Iowa City native Catherine (Cruikshank) Shymansky, have a daughter, Corrina, and two sons, Nicholas and Bond, Jr.

Note: A press conference introducing Bond Shymansky will be held at 1 p.m. (CT) on Monday, Feb. 3 in the Feller Club Room of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.