11/8/2017
Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan announced the hiring of Scott Barbe as the first head coach for men’s volleyball. CU previously announced adding the sport of men’s volleyball, set to begin play during the 2018-19 academic year.
Barbe spent three seasons as the head coach for women’s volleyball at Ave Maria University, an NAIA institution just east of Naples, Fla., from 2014-16. The Gyrenes posted a 4-21 mark in his first season but improved to 13-19 in 2015 before posting a 9-17 mark the following season. Barbe left the program after the 2016 season to take care of aging family members.
”We are very excited to bring someone with Scott’s experience and passion for the game of volleyball to Cumberland,” Pavan said. “We wanted to hire a coach and give them the opportunity to recruit and build a team for next academic year. Scott is eager for the challenge of starting a men’s volleyball program at CU and we are prepared to help him in every way possible.”
He has 20-plus years of experience in volleyball as a head coach at the high school, collegiate and club levels. Barbe served as head coach at Warren Woods Tower High School in Warren, Mich., from 2010-13, winning MAC Division championships in his first two seasons at WWTHS while also earning Coach of the Year honors during those campaigns.
He also spent one season as head coach at Monroe High School in Monroe, Mich., and worked as an assistant varsity coach and junior varsity head coach at three other programs – Adlai Stevenson High School (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Warren Cousino High School (Warren, Mich.) and Royal Oak Kimball High School (Royal Oak, Mich.).
Barbe’s biggest foray into the sport came during eight years (2007-15) at owner, master coach and athletic program director for the Dynasty Volleyball Club in Macomb, Mich. He implemented program and development programs for ages 8-18, coordinated team activities for training, practices, matches, events and travel schedules and handled all business operations for the club. He was responsible for assembling teams and coaching staffs and was directly involved with the collegiate recruiting process for players in the club.
Barbe earned his bachelor’s in Business Administration from Walsh College in Troy, Mich., in 2000 and received his master’s in Management from Walsh in 2003.