Dan Meske Officially Named Louisville Volleyball's Next Head Coach

Meske has been an assistant coach for the Cardinals for the last eight seasons.

New Louisville volleyball head coach Dan Meske / University of Louisville Athletics

Press Release from the University of Louisville:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dan Meske, who has served as the associate head coach for the Louisville Volleyball program for the last eight seasons, has been named Louisville Volleyball's next head coach, as announced by UofL Director of Athletics Josh Heird on Friday.

"I am thrilled to promote Dan Meske to the role of head coach," said Heird. "Throughout his tenure, Dan has had several opportunities to leave UofL for other head coaching roles, but he has stayed committed to making UofL one of the elite programs in the country. I am supremely confident in his ability to lead this program into the future in the same manner he has already helped guide us to where we are today during his time as the associate head coach. Dan is a proven leader, teacher, and program builder that will keep us on a national championship trajectory. We look forward to welcoming Dan as our head coach, along with his wife, Laurel and their three sons, Ryne, Maddox and Hendricks."

Meske becomes the eighth head coach in the program's history and brings more than 16 years of collegiate coaching experience, including working alongside former UofL head coach Dani Busboom Kelly for the Cardinals' historic rise to national prominence over the last eight seasons.

"I am incredibly proud and humbled to be the head coach of Louisville Volleyball," said Meske. "My last eight seasons in the 'Ville have been the best of my life, and I'd like to thank Josh Heird and Amy Calabrese for this amazing opportunity to continue to serve our athletes.  Anyone who follows our program knows that there is a joy and love for each other and for the game within Louisville Volleyball, and I plan to keep it that way.  Go Cards!"

After originally joining the Cardinals' coaching staff in 2017, Meske was instrumental in bringing the Cardinals into the national spotlight, capping the 2019 season off with the first regional final appearance in program history. The tournament run was highlighted by one of the largest upsets in collegiate volleyball as the Cards took down top-seeded Texas in the regional semifinal.

The Louisville Volleyball program continued to reach new heights with Meske's assistance in 2021, posting an undefeated regular season to capture another ACC title while accomplishing another program first by reaching the Final Four. While the team fell to eventual national champion Wisconsin, the Cards finished the season with a record of 32-1 (18-0 in ACC play).

Meske and the Cardinals followed up their unprecedented success with another banner year in 2022, reaching the national championship match for the first time in program history and finishing the season with a record of 31-3 and the program's third consecutive ACC title. At the conclusion of the season, Meske was recognized as the 2022 AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year, becoming the first male ever to win the award.

After falling in the NCAA regional final in 2023, Meske helped return the Cardinals to the Final Four in 2024, finishing the season on their home floor at the KFC Yum! Center with their second national runner-up finish in the last three years. The team finished the season at 30-6 with a 17-3 conference record.

Prior to joining the Louisville coaching staff in 2017, Meske served as the head coach at Augustana for two seasons after working as an assistant coach at Nebraska for eight years. Over the course of his coaching career, he has helped lead his teams to four national semifinals appearances, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, and eight conference championships.

Meske and his wife Laurel have three sons: Ryne, Maddox and Hendricks.

(Photo of Dan Meske via University of Louisville Athletics)

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