Coach Di

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Diane Nelson, former head volleyball coach at Gonzaga University, spent the past 11 years in the college coaching realm at Gonzaga. Nelson began coaching in 1996, and has an extensive coaching background from running college camps, directing her own club in southern California, coaching club and high school volleyball, and her most recent collegiate experience. 

Prior to coaching at Gonzaga, she coached at Santa Fe Christian High School in Solana Beach, Calif., for five years. She led the school to four state title matches, winning in 2003 and 2005. While at Gonzaga, Nelson is the first coach in the history of the program to record at least 11 wins in each of her first four seasons, and she set the program record for the best win percentage under a first-year head coach (17-11, .607 win percentage). During her time as head coach, four Zags have earned WCC All-Conference honors while 19 Bulldogs have been named WCC All-Academic: five First Team recipients and 14 Honorable Mention selections. 

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In addition to her college coaching experience, Nelson played beach volleyball professionally on the AVP and FIVB Tours, earning a top-32 ranking with partner Heidi Ilustre-Boatright. Her FIVB experience spans from competing in Asia, Europe, Australia, and South America while representing the Philippines (where she holds dual ctiizenship), on the road to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Although the effort fell short, she and Heidi created a name for the Philippine volleyball Federation. She and Ilustre- Boatright were one of the first duos to pave the way for Philippines volleyball.