Terry Pettit
Encyclopedia
Terry Pettit is a retired American
volleyball coach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1977-1999 where he led his Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball
team to the schools first NCAA National Championship
in 1995 by defeating Texas in the final. He also led the team to 21 conference championships (Big 8 & Big 12
) in his 23 seasons as head coach and established one of the most decorated programs in the sport of volleyball.
. He attended graduate school in theology and worked as a reporter for the Church of the Brethren before teaching English at Louisburg College
, in Louisburg, North Carolina.
in 1995, 2 NCAA National Runner-Up
finishes in 1986 and 1989, 6 NCAA national semifinal (Final Four)
appearances in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1998, earned 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1982-1999, and won the Big 8/Big 12 every year except 1977 and 1997, guiding the Huskers to a 694-148 record in his 23 years, averaging a 30-6 record each season as coach. Terry Pettit became the Big 8/Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1998 and the AVCA National Coach of the Year in 1986, and 1994. Pettit was the recipient of the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award
in 2004. Under his tutelage, he led one of his players Allison Weston
to the prestigious AVCA National Player of the Year honor in 1995. Nebraska also led the nation in both AVCA All-American and Academic All-American selections during his tenure.
for years, and an NCAA record 17,209 Husker fans watched Nebraska defeat Stanford
at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska
for the NCAA title in 2006. In December 2008 Pettit authored, "Talent and the Secret Life of Teams," a collection of essays, columns, and creative writing on leadership and team-building based on his career as the head volleyball coach at the University of Nebraska and director of leadership academies at Creighton University, the University of Denver and Colorado State University.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
volleyball coach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1977-1999 where he led his Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball
Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball
Nebraska is home to one of the nation's most storied collegiate women's volleyball programs. The Nebraska women's volleyball team has won three NCAA Women's Volleyball National Championships, in 1995, 2000, and 2006 and has had three NCAA National Runner-Up finishes in 1986, 1989, and 2005 as well...
team to the schools first NCAA National Championship
NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
in 1995 by defeating Texas in the final. He also led the team to 21 conference championships (Big 8 & Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
) in his 23 seasons as head coach and established one of the most decorated programs in the sport of volleyball.
Early life
Terry Pettit is a published poet who earned an MFA in creative writing, after earning a B.S. in English from Manchester College in IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He attended graduate school in theology and worked as a reporter for the Church of the Brethren before teaching English at Louisburg College
Louisburg College
Louisburg College is a private two-year college located in Louisburg, North Carolina. The Methodist-affiliated college claims that 90 percent of its graduates move on to four-year institutions...
, in Louisburg, North Carolina.
At Nebraska
Terry Pettit was Nebraska's second coach from 1977 to 1999 helping to build the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball program into a national power. Terry Pettit led the Huskers to their first NCAA Women's Volleyball ChampionshipNCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
in 1995, 2 NCAA National Runner-Up
NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
finishes in 1986 and 1989, 6 NCAA national semifinal (Final Four)
NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
appearances in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1998, earned 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1982-1999, and won the Big 8/Big 12 every year except 1977 and 1997, guiding the Huskers to a 694-148 record in his 23 years, averaging a 30-6 record each season as coach. Terry Pettit became the Big 8/Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1998 and the AVCA National Coach of the Year in 1986, and 1994. Pettit was the recipient of the USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach Award
USA Volleyball
USA Volleyball is a non-profit organization which serves as the national governing body of volleyball in the United States of America ....
in 2004. Under his tutelage, he led one of his players Allison Weston
United 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 the prestigious AVCA National Player of the Year honor in 1995. Nebraska also led the nation in both AVCA All-American and Academic All-American selections during his tenure.
Legacy
Pettit built one of the most tradition rich volleyball programs in NCAA history. This is evidenced by up to this day, the Nebraska's Cornhuskers volleyball team has had consecutive sellouts at the Nebraska ColiseumNebraska Coliseum
The University of Nebraska Coliseum , the home of Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball, is an on-campus arena at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska. Located East of Memorial Stadium, the arena opened in 1926 for the basketball team; the first game was a loss to Kansas...
for years, and an NCAA record 17,209 Husker fans watched Nebraska defeat Stanford
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
for the NCAA title in 2006. In December 2008 Pettit authored, "Talent and the Secret Life of Teams," a collection of essays, columns, and creative writing on leadership and team-building based on his career as the head volleyball coach at the University of Nebraska and director of leadership academies at Creighton University, the University of Denver and Colorado State University.