Russ Rose, Penn State's Legendary Women's Volleyball Coach, Retires
Russ Rose, who led Penn State's women's volleyball team to seven NCAA titles and is the Division I sport's winningest coach, announced his retirement Thursday.
Rose coached at Penn State for 43 seasons, which included 41 NCAA tournament appearances and 25 conference championships.
Rose will retain an advisory role in Penn State's athletic department, the university announced.
"While I have decided to step into retirement, it has been my pleasure to serve as the head coach of the Penn State women's volleyball program over the last 43 seasons," Rose said in a statement. "My time here has provided my family and I many memories and relationships that we will carry with us. I would like to thank the many players, managers and support staff for their dedication, in addition to all of the assistants who helped shape the culture and success of the program."
Rose finished his head-coaching career with 1,330 victories, the record among NCAA Division I women's volleyball coaches. His teams won four consecutive NCAA titles from 2007-10 and seven championships overall. Among the 25 conference crowns, Penn State won 17 in the Big Ten.
Rose compiled an .853 winning percentage at Penn State and guided the team to all 41 NCAA women's volleyball tournaments. Penn State is the only program to play in every NCAA tournament, and his teams were 41-0 in first-round matches.
In addition, Rose coached Penn State to a 109-match win streak, the fourth-longest in NCAA Division I sports history.
"It’s difficult to appropriately capture our appreciation for Russ Rose and his service to our students, Penn State and our women’s volleyball program," Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said in a statement. "We send our heartfelt congratulations to Russ Rose on a phenomenal career at Penn State, and decades of tremendous impact on students, staff and community.
"He has been a mainstay of our community for more than four decades and will long be remembered for raising the profile of women’s volleyball, not just at Penn State but nationally. His legacy will live on through the hundreds of student-athletes who recount what a positive influence he has been on their lives, long after graduation. The all-time winningest coach in NCAA history, Russ was the architect of one of the most successful dynasties in college sports..."
Rose coached four AVCA players of the year and 112 All-Americans. Eight of his players competed in the Olympics, including 2020 gold-medalists Haleigh Washington and Micha Hancock.
What they're saying about Russ Rose
A sampling of statements compiled by Penn State Athletics:
Salima (Davidson) Rockwell, three-time All-American and former Penn State assistant
"It’s hard to believe that an era of such significance is coming to a close. I can honestly say that the game of collegiate volleyball would not be where it is today if not for the influence and legacy of Russ Rose. He quietly built a dynasty at Penn State and set the standard for excellence for all that play the game.
"Over the years, he has created a culture of hard work, determination, and grit, that translated into a consistent level of play and success at the highest level, setting the bar for all college programs. But for the players and coaches that were lucky enough to be trained by him, those qualities extend well beyond the walls of South Gym, the floor of Rec Hall, and the boundaries of State College. We will all proudly carry those lessons with us for a lifetime and pass them on for generations to come. Coach will be sorely missed as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Penn State. He truly is the greatest of all time."
Dom Gonzalez, three-time captain and Michigan State assistant coach
"I can truly say I never thought this day would come, but I want to say thank you to coach for everything he has done for the entire volleyball community, and especially the Penn State volleyball community. Having the opportunity to both play for Coach Rose and to have him as a mentor as I moved into the coaching world has been nothing short of amazing. All of the life lessons and characteristics he instilled in me over the years, such as toughness and mental toughness and the ability to connect are all things I have used since leaving Penn State, and I owe that all to Coach Rose. The legacy he has left behind will be there forever."
Taras Liskevych, Oregon State head coach and former US national team head coach
"Russ is a dear friend who I have known for 49 years. He is a perfectionist and had a knack for getting the best out of his teams. You always knew you had to beat Penn State because Penn State would never beat themselves. That is a quality of Russ teams since he got to Penn State in 1979. He is one of the greatest coaches of all-time because everything he did, he did it his way and never deviated from it. He has been invaluable to the sport of volleyball and a coach every coach can learn from. Penn State volleyball under Russ was a program everyone wanted to emulate, and he leaves a legacy that goes beyond the court. Russ will go down as one of the greatest coaches of all time, in any sport."
John Cook, Nebraska head coach
"Today is a sad day for the sport of volleyball, but also a great day to honor Coach Rose. What he has accomplished will never be matched in our sport, like winning four-straight National Championships. For me personally, he helped make me a better coach. Every time you played a Russ Rose-coached team, you were taught lessons on how to get better.
"Some of the greatest matches in our sport’s history were between Penn State and Nebraska, with the 2008 match being the greatest of them all. Russ was such a compelling figure in our sport that he drew fans to watch and grew the sport in the process. Russ will definitely be missed by me, our fans and our players, who call Russ my BFF. I look forward to some time with Russ, smoking cigars and talking about grandbabies. He is the GOAT!
"Most importantly, I want to put in the first bid at $500 on that damn notebook he writes in!"