JT Wenger will return for his second year as a head coach at Gonzaga in 2026, building on a debut season at GU that saw him lead the Zags to their best win percentage in a decade.

Wenger joined GU after spending the last eight seasons as head coach at UT-Arlington, where he led the Mavericks to 141 wins. In his final year in Arlington, Wenger guided UTA to a 29-3 record, an NCAA Tournament berth, and a Western Athletic Conference title, following a 16-0 undefeated league season.

Following last season, Wenger was named the WAC's Coach of the Year for the first time in his eighth year at the helm for UT-Arlington. UTA's .929 winning percentage is the best mark in program history and the 26 wins are the most wins since 2002. Wenger also helped guide the Mavs to a seventeen-match winning streak, the longest in over 25 years.

While at UTA, the Mavericks received the AVCA Team Academic Award twice under Wenger in 2024 and 2021. He also had multiple Academic All-District and All-Conference selections. Three of the players he coached by Wenger have gone on to play professionally. Setter Mollie Blank currently plays professionally in Cyprus, while Brianna Ford and Paige Reagor are on Major League Volleyball rosters, respectively playing for the Columbus Fury and the Orlando Valkyries.

During the 2023 season, UTA went 21-11 and advanced to the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). In 2021, Wenger guided the Mavs to a No. 2 seeding in the conference tournament, which was the program's highest since joining the Sun Belt. The team advanced to the conference tournament semifinals.

A COVID-19 impacted 2020 season didn't slow down Wenger and the Mavericks as UTA ended the fall regular season by capturing the first Top-25 win in Wenger's tenure, defeating No. 11 Texas State in straight sets in San Marcos. The win snapped a 17-match winning streak for the Bobcats and a 31-match conference winning streak. Four Mavericks earned Sun Belt postseason accolades.

In 2019, Wenger led the Mavericks to a 20-14 overall record, the program's first 20-win campaign since winning 25 in 2015. UTA finished 8-8 in Sun Belt play and advanced to the SBC semifinals, which helped them earn a postseason berth to the NIVC. While there, UTA advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to eventual tournament runner-up South Dakota. The Mavs had four student-athletes earn Sun Belt postseason accolades.

In his second season, Wenger led the team to a 16-12 overall record (9-7 Sun Belt) and the No. 5 seed in the 2018 Sun Belt tournament in 2018.

A native of Highland Park, Ill., Wenger was a two-time "Thirty Under 30" honoree by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). He previously served as an assistant coach at Michigan State in 2016, the associate head coach at Colorado from 2012-15 and the men's assistant coach at UCLA from 2006-11.

In 2016, Wenger helped guide the Spartans to the program's highest finish in the Big Ten since 2007 with a 25-9 overall record and 13 conference victories. The team finished the season ranked 19th in the final AVCA poll and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

During his stint at Colorado, Wenger helped lead the program to a pair of NCAA second-round appearances in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, the Buffaloes notched six wins over top-25 foes, one season after collecting five such victories. Over his final three seasons there, Colorado recorded a 57-42 record. On top of that, he helped the program go from 10th in the conference standings in 2012 (4-16) to seventh in 2013 (9-11), fourth in 2014 (11-9) and fifth in 2015 (11-9).

During his tenure at UCLA, Wenger was an assistant under legendary coach Al Scates, who retired as the all-time winningest coach in Division I volleyball history, claiming 19 national championships. While there, Wenger saw the Bruins ranked in the top-10 nationally for 106 of his 108 weeks.

Before joining the collegiate sidelines as a member of the UCLA staff, Wenger served as a coach on the prep level. He led the Marymount High School girls' team to the 2011 California DI state championship game and the 2002 California DIII state championship. He also coached the Sunshine Volleyball Club 14s in 2003-04 and 2006.

Wenger has been active in the USA Volleyball organization, serving as an assistant coach on the 2011 USA team during the World University Games in Shenzhen, China. He also helped coach the 2009 USA Men's Junior National Team at the World Championships in Pune, India, and he spent time with the USA High Performance program in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2015.

Wenger starred for the UCLA men's volleyball team from 2000-04, where he was part of a team that claimed a national championship in 2000, a national runner-up finish in 2001 and made the national tournament each one of his seasons. As a senior in 2004, he competed in 28 matches while compiling 216 kills and averaging 2.8 kills per set as a team captain, ultimately leading the team to a regional semifinal appearance and a 24-6 record overall.

Following his collegiate career, Wenger played for Corozal Plantaneros in Corozal, Puerto Rico.

Prior to UCLA, Wenger was named the 1999 Illinois Volleyball Player of the Year during his time at Highland Park High School.

Wenger, who earned a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA in 2004, is married to his wife, Marissa. Together, they have a daughter, Vivienne, and two sons, Reid and Valen.

Name	Title	Phone	Email Address
JT Wenger	Head Coach	509-313-6376	Gonzagavb@gonzaga.edu
McKenzie Brewer	Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator	509-313-5837	brewerm2@gonzaga.edu
Klaire Mitchell	Assistant Coach		mitchellk2@gonzaga.edu
Tatum Gray	Assistant Coach	509-313-4041	grayt@gonzaga.edu

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Lewis-Clark State (Exh.) on Aug 14, 2026 at 11 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Lewis-Clark State (Exh.) on Aug 14, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Central Washington University (Exh.) on Aug 21, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Southern Utah on Aug 28, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Pacific on Aug 29, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus UC San Diego on Aug 30, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Cal State Fullerton on Sep 3, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Eastern Washington vs. Oral Roberts on Sep 3, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.

Results

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus North Idaho on April 16, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus Blue vs White Scrimmage on April 2, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus Idaho on March 27, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball at San Diego on November 29, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 3

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball at San Diego on November 29, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 3

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball at Pepperdine on November 26, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 3

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball at Pepperdine on November 26, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 3

Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus Portland on November 22, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 3

2025-26 Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff

Coaching Staff

Footer