Angelo State Director of Athletics Kathleen Brasfield has named Chuck Waddington of Florida Southern College as the new ASU head volleyball coach, effective Jan. 2.
Waddington, the top assistant coach for Florida Southern's highly successful program, becomes the fifth head coach in the ASU program's 22-year history. He replaces Ruth Lawanson, who resigned last month after three seasons with the Rambelles.
“Chuck's successful NCAA Division II experience, his knowledge of the game and his ability to recruit outstanding players give him an opportunity to build a very competitive, successful program,” Brasfield said. “His background in one of the premier Division II volleyball conferences certainly prepares him for life in the Lone Star Conference.”
Waddington comes to Angelo State after five seasons as the top assistant coach at FSC. During that time, he helped guide the Moccasins to a 136-44 overall record and five straight trips to the NCAA DII National Tournament. This past fall, FSC advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional championship match for the first time since 1999.
Over the past five seasons, the Moccasins have boasted 20 All-Sunshine State Conference honorees, 15 all-region selections and 10 All-Americans. In addition, FSC has had six academic all-district performers during that same timeframe.
“I am extremely excited to become a part of the Angelo State family,” Waddington said. “The school's commitment to both academic and athletic excellence is very impressive. I feel very fortunate to be able to work under Athletic Director Kathleen Brasfield. Not only is she a great administrator, but she is also one of the most well known and respected members of the volleyball world. It is my goal to bring back the tradition of success she had when she was the head coach. I can't wait to get started.”
FSC has consistently been ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 National Coaches Poll since early in the 2004 season. The Moccasins' appearance in the ranking on Sept. 7, 2004, marked the first for FSC in more than four years. FSC has appeared in every poll since that time, rising as high as third in the national ranking during the 2006 season and peaking at No. 5 this past fall. The Moccasins ended the 2007 campaign ranked 13th in NCAA DII after posting a 26-9 record.
Prior to taking his position at FSC, Waddington was a successful head coach in the high school ranks. He spent six years as the head coach at Bishop Verot High School (BVHS) in Fort Myers, Fla., and led his squad to a 127-58 record during his tenure. Bishop Verot claimed five district titles in his six seasons and reached the Class 3A semifinals in 2002 with a 25-9 record.
He was named the district Coach of the Year each of his six years at the Vikings' helm and produced 14 All-State players. In addition to his coaching duties at BVHS, Waddington taught science and was named the school's Key to Excellence Teacher of the Year in 2001.
Waddington has extensive experience as a club volleyball coach as well. He coached Junior Olympic Club Volleyball for six years in the Fort Myers area and has recently served as the club director for the Lakeland Area Volleyball Association (LAVA) in Lakeland, Fla. Over the past two summers, Waddington has been involved with the Team Florida USA Volleyball High Performance program, coaching some of the top players in Florida.
A native of Johnstown, N.Y., Waddington earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) in 1993. He added his master's degree in education from Florida Southern in 2006.
Waddington and his wife, Mandi, have a 9-year-old daughter, Bailey, and a 1-year-old son, Jaxsen. Waddington's family will join him in San Angelo at the end of the academic year.
