Dave Gantt has a documented history of improving volleyball programs. The 2015 season will be his seventh year at the helm of the Gonzaga University women’s volleyball program, and the squad is positioned to continue its success.
During his six years at the school, Gonzaga has been a program on the rise. The Bulldogs have increased their win total in each of the last four seasons, culminating with 17 wins in 2014, tied for the most since 1994. Eight of those wins came during always-difficult West Coast Conference play, the most in 24 years. Since 2009 the Zags have improved their season-ending RPI from 272 to 91, with a low of 45 in October 2014.
Also in 2014, the Zags established a high-powered offense, finishing among the top 20 in the nation in kills, kills per set, assists, and assists per set. The 2014 squad was one of the best in program history, finishing with higher numbers in many statistics than in at least the 10 previous seasons. Gantt also helped outside hitter Savannah Blinn elevate her game to All-American levels as the red-shirt junior earned All-American Honorable Mention from the AVCA, becoming the first Zag to do so since 1992. In the summer of 2015, Blinn went on to compete internationally representing USA Volleyball as a member of the Collegiate National Team Roster.
During his time at GU, Gantt has helped 10 different players earn conference honors, headlined by Blinn's back-to-back First Team All-WCC awards in 2013 and 2014. Blinn was the first First Team All-WCC player Gonzaga had seen since 1994. Also, three Zags have earned a spot on the All-Freshman team thanks to Gantt, including Blinn in 2012 and both Lindsay Palmer and Imani Wimbush in 2013. Additionally, the Zags have seen at least two players earn a spot on the conference's All-Academic team in each year of Gantt's tenure.
Gonzaga saw an immediate turnaround during 2009, Gantt's first year at the help. He led the Zags to 10 wins and a 5-9 WCC mark, the program's best finish in eight years.
Prior to his appointment at Gonzaga, Gantt was an adjunct professor at Montana State and a collegiate volleyball official in 2008, was the Director of Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation for MSU-Northern from 2005-07, and served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for external operations at Montana State from 2003-05.
He was the head volleyball coach at Montana State for nine seasons, from 1994 until 2002, compiling a 159-96 record (.624) and a 72-64 Big Sky Conference record ( .529).
The all-time leader in wins at Montana State, Gantt coached 15 Big Sky All-Conference honorees, as well as three Big Sky Freshman of the Year, two Newcomers of the Year and a Defensive Player of the Year. Gantt guided the Bobcats to eight consecutive winnings seasons, to their first ever and seven consecutive Big Sky Conference tournament appearances, and averaged 20 wins a season from 1997-2002, with a school best mark of 21-6 in 1998. The MSU program also broke into the Pacific Region rankings (WCC, Pac-10, Big Sky) for the first time ever in 2000 and repeated that ranking again in 2002.
The Bobcats were also ranked in the Top 25 in attendance from 1997-2002, averaging over 1,000 per match annually with a crowd of approximately 6,500 in attendance for his last match versus Montana. In addition, Gantt's squads were recognized annually with the AVCA team academic award.
Having previous head coaching experience at Oregon State University and Northern Montana College, Gantt has accumulated a 226-178 (.559) career record during his 14-year head coaching career prior to Gonzaga.
Gantt previously served as head coach at Oregon State from 1991-93. During his two-year stint with the Beavers, Gantt led OSU to a 29-36 mark in the Pacific 10 Conference, which was considered one of the best volleyball conferences in the country at the time as well.
Prior to being named head coach at Oregon State, Gantt was an assistant with the USA Men's National Team from 1990-91. Gantt's duties were to develop new and unknown players and join them with more experienced athletes for major international competitions such as the World Championships and the Goodwill Games.
The California native began his collegiate career as an assistant coach at Montana State under the tutelage of Bill Neville, the former USA Men's National Team head coach. His first head coaching job was at Northern Montana from 1988-89. He was awarded the 1989 Frontier Conference Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Sky Lights to a 24-14 record and the league title.
Gantt entered the volleyball coaching ranks at Belgrade (Mont.) High School from 1983-88. He guided the Panthers to an overall mark of 125-36 during his tenure; which included the 1984 State Championship and top three finishes in four of the programs trips to the state tournament.
A 1978 graduate of the University of Great Falls, Gantt received his master's degree in physical education from Montana State in 1983.
He is a member of the America Volleyball Coaches Associate and USA Volleyball (USAV). Gantt and his wife Mary have two children, Ryan and Alissa.
