A 17-year volleyball coaching veteran with over 350 coaching victories, Conley enjoyed a great deal of success in his eight-plus years at West Point. Conley guided the Black Knights to the Patriot League tournament every year since his arrival in 1999., advancing to the championship match three times (2001, 2004, 2005). A three-time Patriot League

“I am very excited about joining the staff at Kent State,” said Conley. “I am looking forward to becoming a part of the athletic community at Kent State. I am also excited about the commitment that the university has shown to develop a championship program.”

The 2005 campaign brought about a first for the Army volleyball program and the Patriot League. On Oct. 8, the Black Knights became the first Patriot League team to defeat the four-time conference champion American University, who at the time of the match, had a perfect 70-0 league mark since joining the conference in 2001. After the season, Conley was recognized by his fellow coaches as the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second straight year.

In 2004, Conley, reached two coaching milestones. On Oct. 15, he won his 300th career head coaching victory following a 3-0 sweep over Colgate. Then on Nov. 19, in the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament in Washington, D.C., Conley recorded his 100th Army win, which propelled the Black Knights to the title match for the second time in four seasons. In addition, Conley was named as the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.

Conley earned his first Coach of  the Year accolade after leading Army to an 11-4 record during the second half of the 2002 season and a No. 4 seed in the league tournament.

As a result of that dramatic turnaround in 2002, the Black Knights were able to post their fourth consecutive winning season in the Patriot League under Conley’s guidance, and returned to the postseason tournament for the fourth time in as many years.

Conley has won five Coach of the Year awards during his illustrious career. A 1979 graduate of Mid-American Conference rival Bowling Green State University, he was tabbed as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991, while a coach a Edinboro University. During his eight-year tenure with the Fighting Scots, Conley posted a mark of 195-81 and left as one of the school’s all-time winningest coaches.

Conley, whose coaching career began as an assistant at the University of South Carolina in 1984, moved from Edinboro to Houghton College in 1994, guiding the Highlanders to a 14-13 record in his lone season with the NAIA program. He left Houghton in 1995 to come to West Point, but not as the women’s volleyball coach. Conley accepted a job as an assistant to Jerry Quiller, Army Track & Field coach.

Conley had served as an assistant track & field coach while at both Edinboro and Houghton, and decided to move his family to West Point to join Quiller’s staff as his jumps coach when the opportunity presented itself.

A world-class high jumper himself, Conley is the world record holder in the high jump in the over-40 age group. In 1998, he became the first man over the age of 40 to clear seven feet and currently holds the world masters’ mark at 7-0 5/8 inches (2.15 meters). Conley used a leap of 6-10 3/4 to capture the gold medal in the high jump at the 1999 Empire State Games on Long Island.

A native of Middlefield, Ohio and a graduate of Cardinal High School, Conley sees the opportunity at Kent State as a win win. “It’s an opportunity to come home and do the two things I love most, coach volleyball and spend time with my family,” Conley said.

Conley, and his wife, Pam, have three children: Michael, Mackenzie, and Jennifer.

Conley is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, USA Volleyball, and USATF. He has also served as a NCAA East Regional Ranking Committee Member since 2005. He received his Master’s degree in exercise science from Cleveland State University.

Conley’s Career Volleyball Coaching Record

Year       School                                   W L T                   Pct.

1986       Edinboro University                 15-18-0                   .455

1987       Edinboro University                 22-12-0                   .647

1988       Edinboro University                 27-11-0                   .711

1989       Edinboro University                 29-11-0                   .725

1990       Edinboro University                 33-4-0                     .892

1991       Edinboro University                 29-5-0                     .853

1992       Edinboro University                 25-5-0                     .833

1993       Edinboro University                 15-15-0                   .500

1994       Houghton College                    14-13-0                  .519

1999       Army                                      17-11-0                  .607

2000       Army                                      19-11-0                  .633

2001       Army                                      14-11-0                  .560

2002       Army                                      15-16-0                  .484

2003       Army                                      17-15 0                  .531

2004       Army                                      18-9-0                    .667

2005       Army                                      21-7-0                    .750

2006       Army                                      21-8-0                    .724

Totals (17+ seasons)                           351-182-0                .659