Barry Goldberg (February 21, 1962 – March 25, 2023) was an American

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

coach. He was head

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

of the women's team at the

American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...

Early life and education

Goldberg grew up in Pittsburgh and attended Peabody High School, where he played volleyball and golf. After graduating from Peabody High School, Goldberg attended the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...

where he played on the

Pittsburgh Panthers men's volleyball Varsity men's volleyball was sponsored at the University of Pittsburgh for five seasons from to 1979 to 1983 before it was dropped as a varsity sport due to athletic department budget cuts. The team was coached by Ray Reilly, and in only its seco ...

until it was discontinued in 1983. As a result, Goldberg served as a player-coach for the club team during his senior year and then served as an assistant coach on the Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball team after he earned his

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

Coaching career

After completing his master’s degree in counselling education, Goldberg accepted a position as a drug rehabilitation counselor while working part-time as the

volleyball coach. However, he was eventually promoted to head coach after the American University Eagles had four dismal seasons. In his first season as head coach, the Eagles earned a 15-6, 15-9, 15-5 win record over

Clarion University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Western University, Clarion, also known as PennWest Clarion, is a public university campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the institution was founded in 1867 and offers ...

. At the conclusion of the 1989 season, Goldberg's Eagles amassed a 25-11 record and he was named 1999 Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year. Prior to the Eagles joining the

Patriot League The Patriot League is a collegiate athletic conference comprising private institutions of higher education and two United States service academies based in the Northeastern United States. Outside the Ivy League, it is among the most selective gr ...

, Goldberg would win the Coach of the Year title two more times in 1997 and 2000. Once the team moved to the Patriot League division in 2001, Goldberg helped the Eagles win 64 matches and four NCAA Tournaments to claim 400 wins by 2005. By 2016, Goldberg led the Eagles to 14 Patriot League tournament championships as he earned his 700th win as head coach and was named Patriot League Coach of the Year. The following year, he signed a five-year contract extension to stay with the Eagles. Three years later, he helped the team earn their 16th Patriot League Championship under his leadership and first since 2011.

Personal life and death

Goldberg and his wife Bonnie had three children together who are also involved in athletics. Goldberg died from cancer on March 25, 2023, at the age of 61.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldberg, Barry 1962 births 2023 deaths American Eagles women's volleyball coaches American volleyball coaches Sportspeople from Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh alumni