University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
MVB's Nick Vogel Honored by VolleyballMag
January 23, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
UCLA men's assistant volleyball coach Nick Vogel has made VolleyballMag's list of College Coaching Hotshots for 2023-24. A four-year starter for the Bruins from 2009-12, Vogel returned to Westwood for the 2023 seasonย and helped lead the Bruins to the 20th NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship in school history.
In his initial season back home at UCLA, the Bruins captured the first NCAA and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) league titles for the program since 2006. The 12-0 regular-season MPSF record was UCLA's first unbeaten ledger since it posted a 19-0 mark in 1995. The Bruins led the nation in hitting percentage last season (.382), blocking average (2.80) and set assists (12.64) on their way to the championships. Middle blocker Merrick McHenry topped the nation with a .526 attack percentage and was named the winner of the Ryan Millar Award as the top middle attacker in the country. Middle blocker Guy Genis rated fourth nationally in blocks per set (1.21). The Bruins also ranked among the nation's top five in kills per set (2nd), aces per set (3rd) and opponent hitting percentage (8th).
Vogel returned to Westwood after serving most recently as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the DePaul University women's volleyball team the previous four seasons.ย Whileย on the DePaul staff, the Blue Demons made their first appearance in the Big East championship match in 2021 and enjoyed itsย most successful campaign in 20 years. The 12 conference victories were the most since 2005 and the coaching staff was recognized as the 2021 Big East Coaching Staff of the Year.
At DePaul, Vogel coached offense and worked directly with the team's middle blockers. He also had oversight of team culture development, match scheduling, opponent scouting, video analysis and the highly successful DePaul summer camps program. In 2021 and 2019, middle blocker Donna Brown was selected to the All-Big East women's volleyball team. In 2019, Brown finished with the highest hitting percentage in the league (.399) which established a new school record for a DePaul player.
Vogel has also worked as an assistant coach for the men's volleyball team at the University of California San Diego duringย the spring of 2017 and was on the staff of the women's program at the University of San Diego in the fall of 2017. He spent the fall 2015 season as a volunteer assistant on the UCLA women's volleyball coaching staff. He has also been an indoor, beach and private-lesson coach within the WAVE Volleyball Club, and a lead camp coach with Gold Medal Squared since 2012. Vogel previously held coaching positions in an adult league and with a youth club while playing overseas in Germany, and has also been involved inย UCLA camps over the years.
Vogel played at UCLA for head coach Al Scates. He appeared in 99 matches and 309 sets, compiling 599 kills (1.94 per set) with a .323 hitting percentage, 299 blocks (0.97 per set), 133 digs (0.43 per set) and 75 service aces. The 6-foot-9 opposite and middle blocker paced the team in aces as a freshman and blocks as a sophomore. Vogel ended his career ranked No. 4 on the program's rally-scoring total blocks list.
For more information on the VolleyballMag list go to the following link --- https://volleyballmag.com/college-coaching-hotshot-list-122523/
