Doug West

WINONA LAKE – Former Indiana University coach Doug West has agreed to become an assistant coach for Grace’s volleyball team under head coach Andria Harshman.

West spent four years as the head coach at Indiana University from 1983-86. He was the second coach in the Hoosiers’ program history. He racked up 65 wins in four years and posted a winning record in his final three seasons.

He also has 13 years of experience coaching at area high schools, including stops at Warsaw, Whitko and Plymouth. He coached the Tigers from 2001-07, took over Whitko’s program from 2009-11 and has led Plymouth since 2011.

“Grace is thrilled to be adding Doug West to our coaching staff. His experience at the high school, club and collegiate level will be invaluable to our success this next year,” said Grace head coach Andria Harshman. “Coach West is a seasoned recruiter for our program. I feel this is a huge step in the right direction, and I look forward to having him on the staff this upcoming season.”

West graduated high school at Yorktown and went on to graduate from Ball State with a degree in journalism. While at Ball State, West was the men’s volleyball team’s setter, earning All-Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association First Team honors in 1981-82. He also began his coaching career while at Ball State, assisting Muncie Burris High School as a college student. He went on to coach the Munciana Volleyball Club team, leading the squad to a fifth-place finish at the ESVBA Junior Nationals in 1981.

After graduating in 1982, West took a position as an assistant coach at Illinois State University, helping the team to a Gateway Conference title and a berth to the NCAA tournament. He was also a volunteer assistant at the University of Nebraska from 1992-96, including the Huskers’ NCAA championship season in 1995.

He has served as the chaplain at Kosciusko Community Hospital since 2001, providing pastoral care and counsel to patients and staff at KCH.

The Lady Lancers are continuing their search for a second assistant coach on Harshman’s staff.