IRVINE, Calif. – Former Olympian Riley Salmon remembers the last time he was standing on the sidelines in CU Arena.

It was about 15 months ago and he was preparing to lead his volleyball team of young men to victory.

At the time, he was getting ready to coach against the Concordia University Irvine Eagles.  But he never got the chance, as the match between CUI and the University of Jamestown was canceled due to health and safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soon, Salmon will get that chance once again to coach on that same court.  And this time, he will be leading the Green and Gold.

CUI Athletics is proud to welcome Salmon as its new head men's volleyball coach.

"After an extensive search, it became clear that Riley was the right person to lead our men's volleyball program," said CUI athletic director Crystal Rosenthal. "As impressive as his playing career was, what was most impressive to me was his ability to articulate how to lead a program, how to best serve our student-athletes, and most importantly how to serve as a living example of God's grace in his life. Riley will bring instant credibility with him when he walks into the gym, but through my time with him I know he will not rest on just getting by, his competitive drive that helped him win Olympic Gold will be a huge asset to our program as we look to get to the top of one of the most challenging conferences in the country. I look forward to watching Riley go to work in our gym with our guys, I am confident that he will deliver a top-notch program on and off the court, and most importantly, he will be someone our student-athletes can learn from in all areas of their lives."

"I believe God puts me where I can be of the most service to other people," said Salmon. "He presented this opportunity and once I interviewed with Crystal, I felt it was a perfect fit.  I'm looking forward to teaching, coaching and encouraging our student-athletes. Playing in the best conference in the MPSF is a fantastic bonus as well."

Salmon already has an impressive resume as both a volleyball coach and as a player.  The Amarillo, Texas native was a member of three Olympic teams (2004, 2008, 2012) during 11 seasons with Team USA.  He helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics that were held in Beijing.  He went on to play in over 220 international matches as a libero and outside hitter.

"I look forward to sharing my experiences in the Olympics, feelings and emotions as a player," said Salmon.  "I can relate to everything a player is feeling inside and out.  I feel this will help build and sustain relationships with our players."

Salmon also played two seasons on the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Tour and enjoyed a 15-year professional career with various clubs in Europe. 

Salmon comes to Concordia after serving as the first head coach at the University of Jamestown for the past three years in North Dakota.
 
While building the Jamestown program, Salmon led the Jimmies to an impressive 32-5 record in the school's first two years of NAIA competition.  This included an 11-2 record in the inaugural season for the program before the rest of the 2020 spring season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While at the helm, he recruited a number of student-athletes from the state of California to come to North Dakota and helped the Jimmies navigate the unorthodox challenges of the pandemic.

A graduate of Clear Creek High School, Salmon also played volleyball at Pierce College. He has strong family ties to Texas, but many of his friends on the volleyball circuit still live, work and reside in California.

David Hunt, the head coach of the Pepperdine University men's volleyball program that competes in the MPSF with Concordia, was impressed by the hire.

"Riley is a constant learner," explained Hunt. "He wants to be the best he can be in everything he does; being a Dad, friend, coach, or colleague. Riley is one of the most authentic people I have ever met. What you see is what you get. He has a passion that burns deep to help those around him."
 
"Riley will be great because of his desire to serve others," continued Hunt. "With Concordia being a place that puts an emphasis on character and Christian values, Riley will recruit and connect with athletes that fit that mission."
 
University of Minnesota women's volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon has known Salmon for 20 years and speaks very highly of the new Eagles head coach.
 
"He knows how to work and he know how to compete," said Coach McCutcheon. "He's a knowledgeable and passionate coach. He cares about his athletes and invests completely in their development on and off the court. It's a great hire!"

Salmon takes over a NCAA DII program that has the unique opportunity to compete regularly against NCAA Division-I opponents.  Concordia is a part of the highly competitive MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) and faces Pac-12 foes UCLA, USC and Stanford as well as nationally-ranked BYU, Grand Canyon and Pepperdine.  Just last season, the Eagles notched their first win in program history over UCLA, and in past years has upset BYU and Grand Canyon while playing in front of their home fans at CU Arena.

CUI also had nine men's volleyball players make the 2021 MPSF All-Academic Team.  This includes returning setters McLain Mott and Christian Oviedo, as well as Oviedo's Servite High School teammate, Gil Herold.

Now Salmon gets that chance to teach, coach and win as a member of the Eagle Family.

 
What They're Saying About CUI's New Hire:
"I met Riley in 2001 in Colorado Springs in both of our first full seasons with the National Team. We competed in two Olympic Games together and won a gold in 2008. He is a great teammate, competitor and friend. I think what makes Riley a great coach is that he of course has authority, having played at the highest level of the sport for 10+ years but coupled with that, he has great empathy being that his journey was not a straight line to the top.  Riley has always been a "team-minded" person. I think he has come to realize the power he has to impact other people in a positive way." – Reid Priddy, former teammate on Olympic team and professional volleyball player

"I've known Riley informally as a player since 2007 and as a coach since he took over at Jamestown. Riley is a constant learner. He wants to be the best he can be in everything he does; being a dad, friend, coach, or colleague. Riley is one of the most authentic people I have ever met. What you see is what you get. He has a passion that burns deep to help those around him. Riley will be great because of his desire to serve others. With Concordia being a place that puts an emphasis on character and Christian Values, Riley will recruit and connect with athletes that fit that mission." – Pepperdine University men's volleyball head coach David Hunt
 
"He knows how to work and he know how to compete. He's a knowledgeable and passionate coach. He cares about his athletes and invests completely in their development on and off the court. It's a great hire!" - University of Minnesota women's volleyball head coach and former USA Olympic men's volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon