UMPI hires new volleyball coach
The University of Maine at Presque Isle has named Jonathon Bowman as its new head volleyball coach for the 2016-17 season.
He replaces Mark Kornachuk, who was the team’s coach for the past four seasons. The team went 4-22 last fall.
Bowman comes to the Owls with vast experience in volleyball, most recently with the United States Youth Volleyball League in Long Beach, Calif. Prior to that, he was affiliated with Junior Olympic volleyball in Newport Beach, Calif. for 10 years.
Bowman also has extensive experience in collegiate volleyball. He has been on the coaching staffs at the University of Wyoming, University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Holy Cross. He was the head coach at Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y. in 2005.
“We need two things to get our program moving forward,” said Athletic Director Mike Holmes said, “someone with intricate knowledge of the game and the energy to get out and recruit players to be here. Jonathon will give us a tremendous coach in both of those areas.”
Bowman will have other duties at the university. In addition to coaching volleyball, he will serve as an instructor in the physical education department and work in residential life.
“To try to make this an attractive position to lure a really strong candidate, we had to put a few things together, and therefore had a really specific pool from which to draw,” Holmes said. “Jonathon is a person who checked our boxes and will be very strong here with his meticulous attention to detail and desire to excel in all of his responsibilities here.”
Bowman said he is both excited and thankful for the coaching opportunity at UMPI.
“I look forward to teaching the players,” Bowman said. “I also want to improve the level of volleyball in Maine by working with kids from elementary through high school. I am ready for the challenge.”
