Craig Choate, Head Coach
Choate took the 2000 Spartan team to the NCAA Tournament for the second time while at the helm of the Spartan program. The Spartan volleyball team has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the program's history. The team finished second in the Western Athletic Conference standings for the second consecutive season. Last year's team won two tournaments, the UNLV Gameworks Tournament and the Mikasa Pilot Preview.
Choate is quickly becoming one of the most successful coaches in San José State volleyball history. His 148 wins is second to Dick Montgomery who had 191 wins in nine years at San Jose State.
During the 1999 season, the team finished with a 25-6 overall record and an 11-3 WAC record. The team finished second in the conference standings and broke the school record for most consecutive matches won at 14 and best match winning percentage at .806. Former Spartan Joslynn Gallop was named the WAC Co-Player of the Year and honorable mention ASICS All-America. She broke three school and WAC records.
For all of his team's accomplishments in 1999, Choate was honored by his peers by being named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. It was the first time in his coaching career that he had won this honor.
Choate's 1998 team advanced to the semifinal match of the WAC Volleyball Tournament after defeating top-seeded Colorado State, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. That year, SJSU made its 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, traveling to Illinois for a first-round match against Colorado.
Choate's teams have produced five winning seasons at the school during his tenure. He recorded his 100th victory at San Jose State with a 3-0 win over SMU at the 1998 WAC Tournament. His 21-12 record in 1998 was the second 20-win team he has coached at the school. The 1994 team won 23 matches and finished second at the 1994 National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
During his tenure at San Jose State, the Spartans have beaten nationally-ranked teams including Hawai`i, Pacific, Brigham Young, Fresno State and San Diego. Choate has coached two honorable mention All-America selections, one first team all-West region player, one first team and three second team all-Northwest Region players, six first team and eight second team all-conference selections and two WAC all-Freshman team selections.
Choate also involves his team in various community service activities throughout the school year. In the past few years, the team has sorted food and clothing for the Sacred Heart Community Center, picked oranges for the Second Harvest Food Bank and fed the homeless on Thanksgiving in Las Vegas.
In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Choate is still an active player in various tournaments. In 1999, he was a member of the silver medal team at the USA Open Volleyball Championships USAV Men's 40s Team Tournament in San Jose. Choate participated in the 1981 USVBA senior men's division open championships and received All-America honors.
Academics are also stressed to the student-athlete. Choate has had at least one player named to the Academic all-WAC team the past five years.
Choate came to SJSU after three years as the head coach of the New Mexico State University women's volleyball program; one he brought up from a five win season his first year as head coach to a record of 14-15 in 1992. Prior to New Mexico State, he was an assistant coach for five years for the Brigham Young and Cal Poly women's programs and the Pepperdine men's program.
Choate began his coaching career in 1985 when he joined the BYU staff. He served as the recruiting coordinator, team conditioning coach, and worked with the team's middle blockers. In 1990, Choate served as an assistant coach with the men's volleyball program at Pepperdine under Marv Dunphy, the head coach of the 1988 U.S. Olympic men's volleyball team.
A 1978 graduate of Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in physical education, Choate earned a Master of Arts degree in physical education in 1982 and a second undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts in history, in 1984, both from BYU.
While attending BYU, Choate played on the Cougars' men's club volleyball team for four years. He played on the club volleyball team from 1976-78 before serving a two-year Mormon mission in West Germany. He returned to BYU and played two years, 1980-82, while earning his master's degree.
Choate was an assistant coach at the Olympic Festival in 1994 and 1995. He holds memberships in the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association), the USAV, has a CAP III (Coaching Accreditation Program) coaching certification. He is an AVCA/USA Today Top-25 Poll voter and a clinician at the 1992 YES Clinic.
Choate, born March 18, 1956 in Los Angeles, Calif., resides in San Jose. He is a volunteer for the Santa Clara County Search and Rescue Team.
CHOATE'S COACHING RECORD
OVERALL CONFERENCE
1993 16-13 9-9 (5th) San Jos State
1994 23-12 10-8 (5th) San Jos State
1995 14-17 6-12 (7th) San Jos State
1996 10-20 5-11 (6th) San Jos State
1997 17-14 7-7 (4th) San Jos State
1998 21-12 7-7 (4th) San Jos State
1999 25-6 11-3 (2nd) San Jos State
2000 22-10 13-3 (2nd) San Jos State
8 years 148-104 68-60
1990 5-30 3-15 (T8th) New Mexico State
1991 10-20 5-13 (T7th) New Mexico State
1992 14-15 6-12 (8th) New Mexico State
3 years 29-65 14-40
11 years 177-169 82-100 Overall
Coaching Experience
1993-2001 San Jos State University head coach
1995 Olympic Festival assistant coach
1994 Olympic Festival assistant coach
1990-1992 New Mexico State University head coach
1990 Pepperdine men's volleyball assistant coach
1989 Cal Poly women's volleyball assistant coach
1985-88 BYU women's volleyball assistant coach
Education
B.S. (Physical Education) - Brigham Young, 1978
B.A. (History) - Brigham Young, 1984
M.A. (Physical Education) - Brigham Young, 1982