COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 2, 2017) – U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly has named Jon Newman-Gonchar as a consultant coach for the program.
Newman-Gonchar, who will remain as an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas women’s volleyball program, will work with Team USA from May through the end of the FIVB World Grand Prix, which concludes Aug. 6 with the Final Round in China.
“Jon has a great eye for the game and its subtleties,” Kiraly said. “He’s also a driven learner, which is great because we want – and we need – this program to be overflowing with learning and improvement. Jon has performed admirably in several USA assignments, including most recently at the 2016 Pan Am Cup. He’s worked with and learned under some great college coaches and programs, including with former USA assistant Tom Black while at Loyola Marymount, with Christy Johnson-Lynch at Iowa State, and now with Jason Watson at Arkansas. All of that has us pumped that we’ll get to have Jon coaching with USA in the summer.”
Newman-Gonchar has been part of the coaching staff for the last two Pan American Cup rosters, which earned gold in 2015 and bronze in 2016 with younger rosters of athletes. In addition to his coaching role, he served as the U.S. team leader for the 2016 Pan American Cup.
“I’m honored and excited to be working alongside, and learning from, Karch, Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue and the rest of the U.S. Women’s National Team program,” Newman-Gonchar said. “Our staff is committed to working hard for this incredibly talented group of athletes. I look forward to the challenge of the start of the new quad as Team USA prepares for Tokyo 2020 qualification.”
Newman-Gonchar began coaching within the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline in 2007 as a coach for the USA Select A1 Girls’ program. He served as a training coach for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team during the summers of 2008 and 2009 as the team prepared for the NORCECA Women’s U20 Continental Championship and the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship.
“It’s been impressive to watch Coach Kiraly put his signature on the U.S. Women’s National Team., said Jason Watson, head coach at University of Arkansas. “As he and the team begin the journey to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, I’m excited that Jon has a role within his staff. Its’ an honor to represent your country. I know Jon will do all he can to contribute and build upon the rich history of success USA Volleyball has experienced on the world stage.”
Prior to his first season at Arkansas, Newman-Gonchar served as an assistant coach at Iowa State University as the Cyclones posted a 56-31 overall record and 32-16 mark in Big 12 action. Iowa State reached the NCAA tournament second round twice with Newman-Gonchar on staff.
Newman-Gonchar spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University under Tom Black. He was part of the staff that guided the Lions to the NCAA tournament in 2012, the first postseason appearance for LMU since 2005.
Newman-Gonchar spent the 2007-2009 seasons at UC San Diego as the Tritons produced a 70-18 overall record with three consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II tournament. While at UCSD, he was named to the 2010 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Awards list, which recognizes the top up-and-coming volleyball coaches under the age of 30. Newman-Gonchar also served as an assistant men’s volleyball coach at UCSD in 2009 and the Tritons held a top-10 national ranking during the season.
A native of Claremont, California, Newman-Gonchar earned his bachelor’s degree in health sciences in December 2005 from Northern Arizona University where he was a member of the men’s club volleyball team.