Multiple All-American Werle to join former coach’s staff at Grand Canyon

A former National Player of the Year winner will join the Grand Canyon coaching staff this upcoming season.

The Grand Canyon athletics department announced Wednesday that Matt Werle was hired as a men’s volleyball assistant coach for the 2012 season.

Werle as a junior was named the 2007 AVCA Division III National Player of the Year after helping lead Juniata to its fourth consecutive Molten Division III national championship, a non-sanctioned NCAA event. The setter was also a four-time All-American while at Juniata playing for current Grand Canyon coach Jeremy Price.

Along with his college career, Werle was the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team starting setter at the 2007 World Championship and spent a year training with the U.S. Men’s National Team.

<

“Adding Matt to our staff is an addition that will pay immediate dividends for everyone in our program, especially our four young setters,” Price said in a statement released Wednesday. “We shared a lot of success when he was a player and I’m looking forward to experience success with him on the sidelines.”

Price stepped down as Juniata’s head coach in 2010 to become the head coach at Grand Canyon.

In Price’s first season at Grand Canyon, the Antelopes finished winless in the MIVA and lost in the first round of the conference tournament.

The Grand Canyon men’s volleyball program is entering its fourth season of existence. The Antelopes joined the MIVA at the start of the 2010 season.