A 30-year veteran in the collegiate coaching ranks, Mike Swan enters his fourth season as the head coach of the Valdosta State volleyball team and has practically changed the mentality of VSU volleyball in just three short seasons.
Swan has compiled a record of 67-29 (.698) during his time at Valdosta State and is rapidly approaching the 600-win mark as a coach at the collegiate level with an impressive 587-402 (.593) mark.
The Blazers made a push for their second GSC title in three years in 2015 with a 23-7, 17-3 GSC record and an appearance in the GSC title matchup against North Alabama. Swan's third campaign at the helm of the program led to four All-GSC selections, two All-Region honorees, and the second consecutive GSC Player of the Year honor for star setter Jessica Codato.
In just his second year, the Indiana native led Valdosta State into uncharted territory with their first trip to the NCAA Division II in the history of the program. In addition, the 2014 team won the first Gulf South Conference Volleyball Championship in school history. The team finished with a stellar 25-8 record and advanced to the round of 32 in national postseason play.
Swan helped lead several players to individual awards in 2014, as Ashley Lala, Destiny Berry, Jenna Kirkwood, and Jessica Codato were named All-GSC. Additionally, Codato, Swan's first recruit, became the first player in school history to be named both an All-American and the GSC Player of the Year.
Looking back at his first season in 2013, Swan made an immediate impact. The squad bolted into the first half of the 2013 season with a 10-2 record, which marked the program's best start since 2000.
Swan was able to draw noticeable improvements from several of the players he inherited during his first year with VSU, and the veteran coach led the team to a 19-14 record on the year. His efforts at the helm earned him the Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year honor, an award voted on by the opposing coaches throughout the league.
In addition to his own personal success, Swan guided both Codato and Kirkwood to All-GSC honors in 2013. In addition, the team has seen a dramatic improvement in the classroom since Swan took the reigns, finishing the 2013-14 academic year with a collective 3.34 GPA.
Swan has coached at nearly every level of collegiate volleyball during his career as he has built successful programs at the NAIA, NCAA Division I, II and III levels. During his 27 years prior to Valdosta State, Swan totaled 520 victories, which placed among the top 40 active coaches in the Division I ranks. His teams have won 20 or more matches in a season 13 times in his career, while he has directed a squad to postseason tournament play on 18 occasions.
Swan comes to Valdosta State from Division I Evansville, where he served as the head coach since 2003. In his 10 seasons at Evansville, Swan tallied 124 victories and twice led his team to postseason play. While his Purple Aces achieved on the court, they also excelled in the classroom as Evansville was honored with the AVCA Academic Excellence Award eight times in his 10 seasons. Five times a Purple Ace was named All-Missouri Valley under Swan while a player was tabbed to the MVC's All-Freshman team on three occasions.
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Prior to Evansville, Swan spent five years at Division I Morehead State, where he accumulated 82 wins. He was named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading his charges to a 23-10 record, one of four years he led the Eagles into postseason play. He coached the 2001 and 2002 OVC Player of the Year as well as the 2001 Freshman of the Year while at Morehead State. His emphasis on success in the class room was also evident as he directed his squad to the AVCA Academic Excellence Award in four of his five seasons with Morehead State.
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Prior to Morehead State, Swan spent one season at Division II American International, where he tallied a 23-10 record, and three years at Division III Manchester College. He began his collegiate coaching career at Huntington University, where he put together teams that dominated the NAIA ranks. His Forester teams made postseason play in all eight of his years with Huntington and won conference championships with undefeated recorded in seven of those eight years. He earned conference Coach of the Year honors all seven of those years, including District Coach of the Year accolades in 1987 and 1993, and saw his team finished ranked in the NAIA Top 25 in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
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Swan's head coaching career began at Southwood High School in Wabash, Ind. in 1979. During his six seasons with the school, he directed the Knights to a 115-37 record.
A native of Largo, Ind., Swan graduated from Manchester College in 1979 with a degree in Secondary Education.
