SEATTLE – Washington Volleyball Head Coach Leslie Gabriel today announced the hiring of Michael Brunsting as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. A former letterwinner at UC San Diego, Brunsting competed for seven years on the AVP beach tour while launching his coaching career. Brunsting was at Utah State in 2022, helping the Aggies reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to start my work at the University of Washington,” said Brunsting. “Knowing the volleyball program has had so many years of success while also creating an authentic and kind culture drew me in from the start. Leslie has wholly embodied these qualities in her tenure and hearing her vision for the program and the athletes showed me that this was the right place for me. Thank you to Tui, Erin O’Connell, and the rest of the UW staff that have brought me into the Husky Family. Go Dawgs!”
Brunsting joins Manolo Concepción on Gabriel’s first staff.
“I am very excited to welcome Michael Brunsting as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Washington,” said Gabriel. “Mike’s passion for the game and developing student-athletes, combined with his drive and volleyball IQ make him a great fit for our staff and program. His character and values align with those of our program, and I know that Mike and his family will have a major impact here on Montlake.”
In the past three seasons, Brunsting has risen through the collegiate coaching ranks, going from a volunteer assistant at UCLA in the 2021 spring season, to a full-time assistant coach at William & Mary in the fall of 2021, and then to Utah State in 2022. Both the Aggies in 2022 and Bruins in spring ’21 advanced to the NCAA Championships with Brunsting on staff.
He first started coaching in 2016 as an assistant at Irvine Valley College before coaching at the high school and club levels, working at Orange Coast Volleyball Club.
At Utah State last season, Brunsting helped the Aggies post a 22-11 record and capture the Mountain West Conference tournament title to earn an NCAA tourney bid for the first time in a dozen years. The Aggies ranked second in the Mountain West with 1.75 aces per set, and third in assists per set (12.58) and kills per set (13.43).
A native of Poway, Calif., Brunsting attended UC San Diego from 2011-2014, playing setter and opposite. Brunsting was named the Tritons Most Valuable Player his senior year in 2014. He left…
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