2008 Woodie Awards
Internationally known BRAD SAINDON leaves the Sun Devils for the Wolves
Gerry Blakney
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Big Red Sports
Late last week, Western Athletic Director Jon Carey, announced former Sun Devils head volleyball coach, Brad Saindon, as the new volleyball coach for the Wolves. On Monday, April 8, Coach Saindon started work and had his first practice with the Wolves. Coach Saindon already knows his team well as the Wolves have had seven practices and are starting the year off running.
"Brad has a tremendous amount of experience and success in his coaching career," said Western Athletic Director Jon Carey. "He has coached at a variety of levels from Division II to Division I to the Olympic games. We think this varied experience will be a key ingredient to the continued success of our volleyball program."
Coach Saindon has spent six years on the international volleyball scene, serving as the head coach for Australia and the assistant coach for the United States in the Olympics. Saindon's work with Australia moved the Olympic hopefuls from No. 40 to 14 in 2000.
"I am really excited about coming to Western Oregon University," Saindon said. "For a long time, I have wanted to return to a Division II school. I love the environment at the smaller university. I don't look at this move as a step backwards or sideways, but as a step forward. I am very anxious to get to Oregon and get started."
Saindon was very interested in the head-coach position at Western to escape the weariness of a Division I school. Western offered that, as well as a feel much like his first coaching job, Regis College in Weston, Mass.
"I like Oregon and the Northwest," said coach Saindon. "Oregon is like the anti-Pheonix. In Pheonix there is a lot of traffic, congestion, a lot of people. Arizona State is larger than the city of Monmouth - almost 60-70,000 students. Monmouth has one stop light and it only takes me five minutes to get across the campus. I still leave twenty minutes before a meeting so I will be there on time, but now I have to laugh at myself for getting to the meeting so early and having to wait.
"Brad has a tremendous amount of experience and success in his coaching career," said Western Athletic Director Jon Carey. "He has coached at a variety of levels from Division II to Division I to the Olympic games. We think this varied experience will be a key ingredient to the continued success of our volleyball program."
Coach Saindon has spent six years on the international volleyball scene, serving as the head coach for Australia and the assistant coach for the United States in the Olympics. Saindon's work with Australia moved the Olympic hopefuls from No. 40 to 14 in 2000.
"I am really excited about coming to Western Oregon University," Saindon said. "For a long time, I have wanted to return to a Division II school. I love the environment at the smaller university. I don't look at this move as a step backwards or sideways, but as a step forward. I am very anxious to get to Oregon and get started."
Saindon was very interested in the head-coach position at Western to escape the weariness of a Division I school. Western offered that, as well as a feel much like his first coaching job, Regis College in Weston, Mass.
"I like Oregon and the Northwest," said coach Saindon. "Oregon is like the anti-Pheonix. In Pheonix there is a lot of traffic, congestion, a lot of people. Arizona State is larger than the city of Monmouth - almost 60-70,000 students. Monmouth has one stop light and it only takes me five minutes to get across the campus. I still leave twenty minutes before a meeting so I will be there on time, but now I have to laugh at myself for getting to the meeting so early and having to wait.
Be the first to comment on this story