Toby Rens enters his first season as Chicago State volleyball head coach in 2013. Rens' career 298-190 career record gives him the most NCAA career wins among Illinois' 13 current Division I women's volleyball head coaches.
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The Toby Rens File |
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2013- |
Chicago State |
Head Coach |
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2008-12 |
Pittsburgh |
Head Coach |
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2004-07 |
Long Island |
Head Coach |
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2001-03 |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Head Coach |
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2000 |
Texas Tech |
Asst. Coach |
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1998-99 |
Northern Michigan |
Head Coach |
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1994-97 |
George Washington |
Asst. Coach |
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1993 |
Tennessee Tech |
Asst. Coach |
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1992 |
Morningside College |
Asst. Coach |
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Coaching Awards |
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• 2005 NEC Coach of the Year |
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• 2002 MEAC Coach of the Year |
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Player Awards |
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• 5 AVCA All-Americans |
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• 11 AVCA All-Region selections |
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• 7 Conference Players of the Year |
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• 3 Conference Rookies of the Year |
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Rens was head coach at the University of Pittsburgh from 2008-12, where he guided the Panthers to a program-record five consecutive Big East Tournament berths. He produced three American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans and five All-Region selections. His student-athletes earned 11 All-Big East selections. In 2009 Megan Dooley was named Big East Player of the Year and Michelle Rossi took home Big East Libero of the Year honors. The duo helped Pitt record an RPI as high as 34 and win a program-record 12 Big East matches in 2009. Academically, two of his five years at Pitt his squad posted the highest team GPA in the department.
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Prior to Pittsburgh, Rens spent 2004-07 at Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y. His four-year tenure as LIU head coach saw the Blackbirds earn Northeast Conference (NEC) titles and NCAA Tournament berths each season. His squads averaged 26.5 victories per season. The Blackbirds' 32-7 record in 2004 still stands as the programs winningest season. He was named NEC Coach of the Year in 2005.
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Before LIU, Rens served as head coach from 2001-03 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Located outside of Washington, D.C. Rens orchestrated a dramatic turnaround at UMES. Prior to his arrival the Hawks had not won a match for two seasons. By 2002 he guided the Hawks to a 20-15 record and a place in the conference championship match. It was the best single season turnaround in the NCAA, and he took home Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year honors for his effort. In 2003 the Hawks went 26-12. The success Rens instigated at UMES continued, as the Hawks won 19 or more matches in eight of the nine seasons after he left. LIU also performed exceptionally in the classroom under Rens' watch. The Blackbirds earned the AVCA Academic Award three times (2007-08, 2006-07 and 2004-05) and regularly boasted one of the highest team grade-point averages at LIU, twice taking top honors. Two of his student-athletes were named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team.
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Rens' head coaching career began at NCAA Division II Northern Michigan University, where he compiled a two-year record of 58-17 and guided the Wildcats to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) regular-season championships. Five Wildcats earned AVCA All-Region honors with a pair being named All-Americans.
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In addition to his head coaching positions, Rens served as an assistant at Texas Tech (2000), George Washington (1994-97), Tennessee Tech (1993) and his alma mater, Morningside College (1992).
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He has been highly active in national volleyball circles, serving as a member of the NCAA Division I Head Coaches Committee and as a voter in the
USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll.Â
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A native of Orange City, Iowa, Rens graduated from Morningside in 1993 with a bachelor's in physical education.
Rens is the sixth head coach in the CSU volleyball's time as an NCAA Division I member.
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Season |
School |
Record |
Conference |
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2012 |
Pittsburgh |
17-14 |
Big East |
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2011 |
Pittsburgh |
18-15 |
Big East |
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2010 |
Pittsburgh |
13-18 |
Big East |
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2009 |
Pittsburgh |
20-11 |
Big East |
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2008 |
Pittsburgh |
17-14 |
Big East |
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5 years |
85-72 (.541) |
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2007 |
Long Island |
23-14 |
Northeast Conference |
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2006 |
Long Island |
25-11 |
Northeast Conference |
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2005 |
Long Island |
26-14 |
Northeast Conference |
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2004 |
Long Island |
32-7 |
Northeast Conference |
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4 years |
106-46 (.697) |
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2003 |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
26-12 |
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
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2002 |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
20-15 |
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
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2001 |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
3-28 |
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
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3 years |
49-55 (.471) |
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1999 |
Northern Michigan |
28-11 |
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
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1998 |
Northern Michigan |
30-6 |
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
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2 years |
 58-17 (.773) |
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Totals (14 years) |
298-190 (.611) |
