University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Women's Volleyball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Alma Mater:
- UCLA, '08
- Year at UCLA:
- 5th in 2018
- Email:
- tker@athletics.ucla.edu
Tony Ker begins his fifth year on the UCLA women's volleyball coaching staff in 2018 and his fourth season as a full-time assistant after serving as a volunteer coach in 2014. In his four seasons on staff, the Bruins have reached a Regional Semifinal every year, including a Regional Final in 2016, having posted a record of 95-38 (.714).
Over the last four seasons, the Bruins have earned 14 All-American, 13 All-Region and 19 All-Pac-12 awards. Last season, Madeleine Gates (Second Team), Zana Muno (Honorable Mention) and Sarah Sponcil (Honorable Mention) were named AVCA All-Americans, while Gates and Sponcil earned VolleyballMag.com All-American awards. Two seasons ago, UCLA was sixth in the nation in digs and assists per set and 13th in kills per set.
A four-year All-American (2005-2008) on the UCLA men’s volleyball team, Ker is the program and NCAA’s all-time leader in digs with 1,220. He had 60 double-figure digs contests and was named a First Team All-American and VolleyballMag.com Defensive Player of the Year in each of his last three seasons.
In his senior campaign, Ker set single-season records for digs (368) and digs per set (3.23), as well as a single-match record for digs with 27 against Hawai’i (Jan. 5). Ker has three of the top 10 single-season digs totals, posting 318 (third-best) as a sophomore and 269 (eighth-best) as a freshman, in which he earned Second Team All-America accolades. Ker was a four-time All-MPSF selection, including a pair of First Team plaudits as a freshman and junior.
In 2006, Ker was the starting libero for the UCLA NCAA Championship squad which ended the season on a 14-match winning streak to record the program’s 19th national title.
Along with his current role with the Bruins, Ker serves as the Operations Supervisor and one of the lead instructors for the Legacy Volleyball Club in Santa Clarita, Calif. He led his 15’s team to a silver medal at the Junior Olympics.
Ker began his collegiate coaching career in 2009 when he became the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bakersfield, spending two years with the Roadrunners.
Outside of the college game, Ker started at libero for the U.S. U-20 National Team at the 2005 World Championships. He was named the top libero while competing for both the U.S. U-19 team in Canada in 2004 and the U.S. U-17 squad in the Dominican Republic in 2002. Prior to his coaching stint at Bakersfield, Ker traveled to the Middle East to play outside hitter for a club team in Kuwait.
Ker, who was a three-time MPSF All-Academic honoree, graduated from UCLA in 2008 with a degree in sociology.
