Albany, NY – The Sage College's department of athletics announces the selection of Robert Verhayden (Schenectady, NY) as the new head men's volleyball coach for the Gators. Verhayden replaces Jimmy Pompeo, who resigned last month. No stranger to the program, Verhayden spent the last two years as the assistant men's volleyball coach with Sage.
Director of Athletics and Recreation, Dani Drews said of her selection, "We are so fortunate to have someone of Bob's experience and passion for volleyball to take over our men's volleyball program." Drews continued, "I am confident that he is going to make a tremendous impact on the team."
Verhayden said of his selection, "I am very grateful to Athletic Director Dani Drews for the opportunity to take over the men's volleyball program at The Sage Colleges." He added, "Having been the assistant coach the past two seasons, I am excited about leading both the returning players and our new recruits. During the last two years I have been on the recruiting trail a lot and have met with many high school coaches within a 175 mile radius of The College. I hope these relationships that I have been forming will now pay dividends in securing even more quality student-athletes for the program."
A former women's head volleyball coach at Fulton-Montgomery Community College for three seasons, he has an extensive background within the sport of volleyball. He currently serves as the Girls' Varsity Volleyball Coach at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School, a position he has held since 2009. Most recently the team went 22-3 overall, winning the Big Ten Championship and qualifying for the sectionals as the fourth seeded team, advancing to the semifinals. Since his arrival there, the program experienced dramatic improvement in each of his seasons.
An accomplished athlete in his own right, Verhayden was a member of the 1998 Men's Masters Championship Team as a competitor at the USA Volleyball IREVA Regional. He also garnered a silver medal as a member of the 1995 Men's Senior Adirondack Team at the Empire State Games. A former USA Volleyball Provisional referee and a former USA Volleyball regional scorekeeper, he has an extensive understanding of the fundamentals of the game and has already been an asset for the Sage program.
Verhayden noted, "My immediate team goals will be to be competitive each time we take the court in 2016 and to also qualify for the Skyline Conference Champions. The tournament winner garners the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. I will also be looking to hire an assistant coach who will share his/her passion for the sport with the players and the Gator program."
