March 16, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina head volleyball coach Nancy Somera announced the hiring of assistant coach Damian Elder on Thursday. Elder comes to Carolina from Stanford where he served the past two years as a volunteer assistant coach for the Cardinal’s women’s program.

“We are very excited to have Damian join our staff,” Somera said. “He brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the gym, and he is also a great technical skills coach and a great motivator. Being at Stanford, he had the opportunity to work with some of the best players in the world and gained great coaching experience. I have seen how he works with players and how he helps them play at the highest level of the game.”

While at Stanford, Elder served on the 2004 NCAA national championship staff and helped coach AVCA Player of the Year, Ogonna Nnamani. Prior to Stanford, Elder was an assistant coach at Fresno City College in Fresno, Calif., where his team finished second in its conference with a 25-6 record. From 1996 to 2003, Elder was a head coach at the Fresno Volleyball Club and served as club director from 1999 to 2002.

Elder got his coaching start at Bullard High School in Fresno, where he was the varsity head coach from 1997 to 2000. His teams compiled a 111-19 overall record during his tenure, good for an .854 winning percentage. Bullard H.S. was crowned section champions in 2000 and placed third in the California Division I State Volleyball Championships.

“I have always had a lot of respect for Nancy and Ben, and I am extremely excited about working with them and helping South Carolina reach that top level of competition,” Elder said. “I’m really looking forward to the fall season having seen the energy and excitement the players bring to the gym.”

A graduate of Fresno State, Elder earned his Bachelor of Arts in English in 2002.