Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh names Bob Bertucci head volleyball coach
3/14/2011 11:08:00 PM | Volleyball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a national search, Lehigh University has named Bob Bertucci its new head volleyball coach, Murray H. Goodman '48 Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett announced Monday. Bertucci brings a wealth of coaching experience to Bethlehem, having manned the sidelines for 32 years, including the last 16 seasons as the head coach at Temple.
“Bob was the most experienced and technically and tactically qualified coach in our applicant pool,” Sterrett explained. “In his coaching career he has achieved considerable success as a head coach at Army, Tennessee, Rutgers-Newark and Temple. His teams have won ten conference championships and he has been named Coach of the Year in four decades in four difference conferences.”
During his time at Temple, Bertucci guided the Owls to four Atlantic 10 championships and four subsequent NCAA tournament berths, with his 2002 squad reaching the Sweet Sixteen. A three-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Bertucci led Temple to 14 straight Atlantic 10 tournaments and won three straight A-10 East Division crowns from 2005-2007. In 16 seasons at Temple, Bertucci's teams won 20 more matches nine times. He collected 315 victories during that time, making Bertucci the program's career leader in wins.
“I'm very excited about this opportunity to come to Lehigh,” Bertucci said. “It's a very distinctive institution. For this next chapter in my life and career I couldn't think of a better place to go. It's a great academic institution with a long history and tradition. Athletically, it's a chance to work with the student-athlete as a whole.”
Bertucci boasts an impressive career record of 667-383, which includes an eight year stint as head coach at the University of Tennessee (1979-86) where he led the Lady Vols to four NCAA appearances and three Southeastern Conference titles. He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1984.
Following his time at Tennessee, Bertucci took over both the men's and women's programs at Rutgers-Newark. His women's squad won to New Jersey Athletic Conference titles and compiled a 105-66 record in seven seasons. Bertucci led the Rutgers-Newark men's team to the Division I Final Four in 1990 after winning the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association title. Bertucci was named EIVA Coach of the Year on three occasions.
Bertucci's first head coaching job was at Army, where he founded the women's volleyball program in 1978. He guided the women's team to an AIAW district championship in his first season and as was named the Eastern Collegiate Volleyball League Coach of the Year.
In addition to his college head coaching experience, Bertucci was heavily involved on several levels with USA Volleyball, including eight years on the coaching staff of the women's national team. Bertucci was an assistant coach for the USA women's team at the 1999 World University Games and a head coach for that team in 1985. He also spent three years on the Board of Directors for the United States Volleyball Association.
Beyond his direct coaching experience, Bertucci directs numerous camps for both players and coaches. He has produced nine teaching videos and has written six volleyball books, while currently working on his seventh.
In the last three years, Bertucci has been inducted into the YMCA Volleyball Hall of Fame and the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame.
“This search was one of the most challenging that I have ever conducted,” Sterrett said. “Not because of a lack of interest, quality or options. The end result is that I believe we found a coach who will fit better at Lehigh than even he realizes and who is among the most knowledgeable and effective teachers of volleyball that we could find, anywhere.”
A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Bertucci earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Springfield College in 1974 where he was team captain and a two-time team MVP. He earned his MBA from Long Island University in 1980, and worked in the education field for two years as an adaptive physical education specialist in New York City.
Bertucci and his wife, former Temple volleyball player Tina Kogut, have five children.
With no seniors on its 2010 roster, Lehigh returns virtually its entire team. The Mountain Hawks reached the Patriot League tournament in 2009 and posted a 13-13 record last season.
“I'm excited to work with this team because the progress they have made in the last few years is really positive,” Bertucci said. “One of the things I will tell the team is that it's an opportunity for me to come in and help take things to the next level. From what I've heard we have some talented players here and they are ready to take that next step.”
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