Dan Danis

Dan Danis was been tabbed as the first-ever men's volleyball coach in the history of the Lincoln Memorial University athletics department in February of 2016. Lincoln Memorial will begin its inaugural season of men's volleyball in January, 2017 and become the University's 21st sport.
 
"We are pleased to introduce Dan Danis as Lincoln Memorial University's first men's volleyball head coach," LMU Athletic Director Matthew Green said. "Dan is an ideal fit for LMU with his tremendous love for the game of volleyball and his unyielding commitment towards developing young people to not only strive for excellence on the court, but also in the classroom and in the community. Our goal is to provide the best student-athlete experience and we are excited to have Dan join us in this endeavor. His energy is infectious, his vision for building a winning program is impressive, and I look forward to watching LMU men's volleyball flourish under his leadership."
 
Danis began his coaching career with a two-year stint (2004-05) as the head junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach at Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nev. For the past three years, Danis has coached the K2 16 Elite club team in Knoxville. This year, Danis' first as the head coach of K2 16 Elite, his team is ranked fifth out of 2,200 club teams in the nation.
 
"I am extremely excited to be named the Head Coach of the Lincoln Memorial's men's volleyball program," Danis said. "Men's volleyball is continuing to grow and advance nationally and I am glad to be a part of something that is kind of groundbreaking for the state of Tennessee."
 
Danis has had an extensive playing career. He got his start in the sport as a youngster in 1997, playing four years with the Las Vegas Wahinis Volleyball Club. He then was a four-year letterwinner and outside hitter for the Rancho High School varsity team. Shortly after his high school career ended, Danis spent two years as an AVPnext athlete, competing in open tournaments in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Scottsdale, San Diego and Las Vegas. Danis has been an AA Open player in sand/grass doubles and grass triples for the past 10 years.
 
"I want to have an exciting, high-flying program that puts constant pressure on our opponent," Danis said. "My goal is to put together a squad of athletes with high volleyball IQ that can rival and compete with Division I programs. It will be some of the most exciting volleyball that our fans will see. I also intend on scheduling tough nonconference matchups to get Lincoln Memorial the exposure and recognition that the athletics department deserves."
 
Currently, NCAA Division I and Division II men's volleyball programs compete under one roof for one singular national championship, giving the Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball program the opportunity to compete against the likes of perennial powerhouses such as UCLA, Penn State and Southern California.
 
Men's volleyball is not sponsored by the South Atlantic Conference, but it is by Conference Carolinas, where 10 Division II programs from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee compete for a league championship.
 
Danis intends on recruiting all areas of the country, but his particular focus is on Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, the region where he developed his passion for the sport. Danis will begin the recruiting process immediately in preparation for the commencement of the 2017 season.
 
The LMU men's volleyball program will play all of its home matches at Mary Mars Gymnasium, where the Lady Railsplitters call home.