Mike Hebert
Encyclopedia
Mike Hebert is a retired American
volleyball
coach.
He coached since 1976 and in his career, he coached Pittsburgh
men and women's team, New Mexico
women's team, Illinois
women's team, and Minnesota
women's team. He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2010 season.
and attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara
, where he also played on the indoor squad.
In the mid 1970s, after being in the Peace Corps
in Nigeria
, he returned to the United States and received his PhD in philosophy of education at Indiana.
In 1975 he received a call to be the women's head coach at the University of Pittsburgh
, but he declined because he didn't know how women played. The university called back a month later and asked him to reconsider, when he accepted the job offer for $1,500.
, where he compiled a 128-53 mark with the women’s team and a 60-21 record as the men’s coach. He led the women's team to two EAIAW championships and two appearances in the AIAW
National Championships. During his tenure, he won the EAIAW Eastern Region Coach of the Year award in 1978 and 1979.
, notching a 60-57 record and advancing to the NCAA regionals in 1981 with a 26-17 record.
, Hebert led the Fighting Illini to two NCAA Final Four appearances (1987 & 1988) and four Big Ten titles. During the 1988 season, Illinois became the first volleyball team east of the Mississippi River
to be rated No. 1 in the nation.
Hebert coached Mary Eggers from 1985–1988, who was the Big Ten Player of the Year for three consecutive years, as well as Nancy Brockhart, who shared the honor with Eggers in 1987. It remains the only time that a co-Big Ten Player of the Year was shared with two players on the same team.
In 1985, Hebert received the American Volleyball Coaches Association
highest honor, as he was named the National Coach of the Year. From 1985-1988, Hebert was the president of the AVCA.
title (2002), and three NCAA Final Four appearances in 2003, 2004 and 2009. He has coached two Big Ten Players of the Year, Nicole Branagh
(2000) and Cassie Busse (2004). In 2004, Hebert led Minnesota to the program's first ever national championship match, finishing as national runners-up. Briefly in 2004, the Gophers were ranked #1 in the coaches poll, the first time in program history that Minnesota claimed the top spot.
In Hebert’s 11 years at Minnesota, the Gophers are 301-111, 167-74 in the Big Ten and have participated in 11 NCAA Tournaments.
Hebert has produced two Olympians
, Lindsey Berg
, who made Olympic appearances in 2004 and 2008 for the indoor team, and Nicole Branagh
, who appeared in the 2008 Olympics with Elaine Youngs
for beach volleyball.
In 2006, Hebert was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame.
to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games.
Hebert served as head coach of the U.S. women’s team competing at the 1991 World University Games in Sheffield, England. The USA women’s team also competed in the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. Hebert traveled to the 1989 Canada Cup and 1990 Cuba Cup as part of a series of assignments with the U.S. National Team.
in 1966, and his Ph.D. in philosophy of education from Indiana in 1974. He is the author of two books, including a co-written autobiography titled The Fire Still Burns. Hebert and his wife Sherry reside in Minneapolis. Hebert has two daughters, Becky and Hillary.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
coach.
He coached since 1976 and in his career, he coached Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
men and women's team, New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
women's team, Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
women's team, and Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
women's team. He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2010 season.
Early life
Hebert is a native of Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
, where he also played on the indoor squad.
In the mid 1970s, after being in the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, he returned to the United States and received his PhD in philosophy of education at Indiana.
In 1975 he received a call to be the women's head coach at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, but he declined because he didn't know how women played. The university called back a month later and asked him to reconsider, when he accepted the job offer for $1,500.
1976-1979: Pittsburgh
Hebert began his coaching career at the University of PittsburghPittsburgh Panthers volleyball
Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate volleyball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt volleyball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in Fitzgerald...
, where he compiled a 128-53 mark with the women’s team and a 60-21 record as the men’s coach. He led the women's team to two EAIAW championships and two appearances in the AIAW
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
National Championships. During his tenure, he won the EAIAW Eastern Region Coach of the Year award in 1978 and 1979.
1980-1982: New Mexico
Hebert coached the women’s team at New MexicoUniversity of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, notching a 60-57 record and advancing to the NCAA regionals in 1981 with a 26-17 record.
1983-1995 Illinois
At IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, Hebert led the Fighting Illini to two NCAA Final Four appearances (1987 & 1988) and four Big Ten titles. During the 1988 season, Illinois became the first volleyball team east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to be rated No. 1 in the nation.
Hebert coached Mary Eggers from 1985–1988, who was the Big Ten Player of the Year for three consecutive years, as well as Nancy Brockhart, who shared the honor with Eggers in 1987. It remains the only time that a co-Big Ten Player of the Year was shared with two players on the same team.
In 1985, Hebert received the American Volleyball Coaches Association
American Volleyball Coaches Association
The American Volleyball Coaches Association is an organization of nearly 5,000 members, incorporated as a private non-profit educational corporation in 1981, as the Collegiate Volleyball Coaches Association....
highest honor, as he was named the National Coach of the Year. From 1985-1988, Hebert was the president of the AVCA.
1996-2011: Minnesota
At Minnesota, Hebert led the Gophers to one Big TenBig Ten volleyball
Big Ten volleyball represents the 12 women's teams that participate in the conference. Through 2009, Big Ten volleyball has earned a combined 17 NCAA final four appearances by 6 different teams. In 1987, Illinois became the first program to represent the Big Ten in the final four, and in 1999...
title (2002), and three NCAA Final Four appearances in 2003, 2004 and 2009. He has coached two Big Ten Players of the Year, Nicole Branagh
Nicole Branagh
Nicole Branagh is an American volleyball player. She played internationally for the US National team in indoor play and is currently playing beach volleyball professionally....
(2000) and Cassie Busse (2004). In 2004, Hebert led Minnesota to the program's first ever national championship match, finishing as national runners-up. Briefly in 2004, the Gophers were ranked #1 in the coaches poll, the first time in program history that Minnesota claimed the top spot.
In Hebert’s 11 years at Minnesota, the Gophers are 301-111, 167-74 in the Big Ten and have participated in 11 NCAA Tournaments.
Hebert has produced two Olympians
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Lindsey Berg
Lindsey Berg
Lindsey Napela Berg is a volleyball player from the United States.Berg was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was three-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Minnesota, where she graduated in December 2001....
, who made Olympic appearances in 2004 and 2008 for the indoor team, and Nicole Branagh
Nicole Branagh
Nicole Branagh is an American volleyball player. She played internationally for the US National team in indoor play and is currently playing beach volleyball professionally....
, who appeared in the 2008 Olympics with Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs is an American beach volleyball player.As of 2010, Youngs has won 51 professional beach volleyball tournaments in her career. In addition, she won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with teammate Holly McPeak. In 2002, she was named MVP of the AVP.Youngs graduated from UCLA...
for beach volleyball.
In 2006, Hebert was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame.
International coaching
In the summer of 2003, Hebert coached the U.S. National TeamUnited States women's national volleyball team
The United States women's national volleyball team represents the United States of America in international volleyball competitions and friendly games, and is governed by USA Volleyball.-Current Squad:...
to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games.
Hebert served as head coach of the U.S. women’s team competing at the 1991 World University Games in Sheffield, England. The USA women’s team also competed in the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. Hebert traveled to the 1989 Canada Cup and 1990 Cuba Cup as part of a series of assignments with the U.S. National Team.
Personal
Hebert received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
in 1966, and his Ph.D. in philosophy of education from Indiana in 1974. He is the author of two books, including a co-written autobiography titled The Fire Still Burns. Hebert and his wife Sherry reside in Minneapolis. Hebert has two daughters, Becky and Hillary.
Quotes
- Regarding the volleyball days while in college at UCSB
- "Volleyball wasn't just a sport, it was a religion"
Awards and honors
- 2006 – AVCA Hall of Fame induction
- 2003 – Volleyball Magazine National Coach of the Year
- 2002 – AVCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year, Big Ten Coach of the Year
- 1999 – AVCA District II Coach of the Year, Big Ten Coach of the Year (Minn.)
- 1988 – Big Ten Coach of the Year (Ill.)
- 1986 – Big Ten Coach of the Year (Ill.)
- 1985 – AVCA National Coach of the Year (Ill.)
- 1980 – Intermountain Conference Coach of the Year (New Mex.)
- 1979 – EAIAW Eastern Region Coach of the Year (Pitt)
- 1978 – EAIAW Eastern Region Coach of the Year (Pitt)