The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Volleyball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach/Technical Coordinator
The 2017 season marks Erik Sullivan’s seventh on Head Coach Jerritt Elliott’s Texas Volleyball staff. Sullivan joined the Texas staff after making two previous Big 12 coaching stops at Nebraska and Colorado.
On the Forty Acres, Sullivan works with the Horns’ liberos and middle blockers, while developing Texas’ team defensive systems and scouting reports.
During the summer of 2011, Sullivan served as an assistant coach with the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team at the FIVB Championships in Lima, Peru. At the championships he coached current Longhorn Haley Eckerman to a fourth-place finish.
In his three seasons at Nebraska, Sullivan helped the Huskers to a share of the Big 12 title in 2008 and an outright championship in 2010. He also helped NU to three-straight NCAA Regional appearances during his tenure. Sullivan’s primary duties included working with the middle blockers, serving as co-recruiting coordinator and handling scouting and match preparation.
Sullivan, a two-time U.S. Olympian, brings a wealth of playing experience into the Texas program, including eight years with the U.S. National Team. He started for Team USA at libero at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and served as co-captain of Team USA at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
At Nebraska, Sullivan tutored middle blockers Brooke Delano, who twice earned AVCA All-America, and Kori Cooper, a two-time All-Big 12 First Team pick.
A native of Encinitas, Calif., Sullivan was an assistant at Colorado for four seasons from 2004-2007 where he helped the Buffaloes to three straight NCAA appearances and coached a pair of CU outside hitters to All-Big 12 recognition.
Sullivan’s playing experience has also stretched to the professional ranks in Europe. His professional resume includes stints in Naefels, Switzerland (1995-97), Malaga, Spain (1999), Apeldoorn, The Netherlands (2000-01) and Odintsovo, Russia (2003). In the United States, Sullivan played professionally on the Four-Man Volleyball Beach Tour in 1996-97.
In addition to his playing experience, Sullivan served as director of the Pikes Peak Volleyball Club in Colorado Springs, Colo., from 2001 to 2002 and served as coach of the club’s 17 & Under contingent.
A two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Second Team pick at UCLA, Sullivan led the Bruins to a pair of national titles during his four-year playing career (1992-95). Sullivan finished his career as UCLA’s all-time leader in matches with 10 or more digs (25) and ranked second in career digs (747). As a senior in 1995, Sullivan captained the Bruins to an NCAA title while ranking ninth nationally in digs (2.5 digs per-set). He graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in physiological science in the spring of 1995.
Sullivan is married to the former Amanda Heavner of Santa Barbara, Calif. The couple has a daughter, Shaye and a son, Cade.
