Steve Grant, whose tenure at George Fox University is the longest of any current coach, begins his 28th season with the Bruins' volleyball team in 2009, having established the program as one of the most consistent winners in the nation during that time.

In Grant's 27 years at George Fox, the Bruins have ended the season on the plus side of the ledger 20 times, including 13 straight winning records from 1987 through 1999.  With a career record of 539-358 (.601), all at George Fox, he ranks13th in victories among currently-active NCAA Division III coaches, and 19th all-time among D-III coaches.

Grant's teams have made their mark in post-season play as well.  While a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association, George Fox won NCCAA national championships in 1984 (30-10) and 1987 (33-22), and each time he was named NCCAA National Coach of the Year.  While holding dual membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics at the same time, he was named NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year for leading the Bruins to outstanding seasons in 1984 and 1990 (31-13).

Two Grant-coached teams have won conference championships.  His first team in 1982 (17-14) captured the crown in the Women's Conference of Independent Colleges, the predecessor to the Northwest Conference.  In 1998, while a dual member of both the NAIA and the NCAA, the Bruins went 31-8, won the Northwest Conference regular season and tournament titles, and reached the NAIA National Tournament in Kankakee, Illinois, for the only time in team history.  Grant was named NWC Coach of the Year for that success. 

During the 1990s, five of his athletes won NAIA All-American awards, and five were named NAIA All-American Scholar-Athletes.  He also served as an assistant coach with the men's basketball program at George Fox until 1995.

Beside his volleyball duties, Grant is in his seventh year as chairman of the health and human performance department.  He was honored by his peers with the 2006-2007 Faculty Achievement Award for Undergraduate Teaching.  He was named associate director of intercollegiate athletics in the summer of 2007, taking on additional duties that include chairing the George Fox Sports Hall of Fame Committee. 

Grant is a 1969 graduate of Biola University, where he was a three-sport athlete.  As a guard for the basketball team, he was named team MVP both his junior and senior years.  He earned First Team All-Conference, All-District, and All-Far West honors as a defender on the Eagles' soccer team, and played baseball his freshman and junior years.  He remained at his alma mater upon graduation for two years as a basketball and soccer assistant coach.

In 1971, Grant moved to Salem, Ore., to become head boys' basketball coach and head baseball coach at Salem Academy.  In 1975, he switched from baseball to volleyball.  From 1981-82, Grant coached the women's basketball team and was head men's soccer coach at Western Baptist College (now Corban College) in Salem.                   

Grant, who also earned a master's degree in education from Linfield College in 1985, lives in Newberg with his wife Kathy, an admissions counselor for the Continuing Education Department at George Fox.  They have two children, Jeff, 37, and Bryan, 34.

Steve Grant's Coaching Ledger

Year        Record   Pct.         Conf.      Pct.         Team Honors

1982        17-14       .548                                         WCIC 1st

1983        14-17       .452        

1984        30-10       .750                                        NCCAA national champions

1985        17-15       .531        

1986        15-15       .500        

1987        33-22       .600                                        NCCAA national champions

1988        30-13       .698        

1989        27-18       .600        

1990        31-13       .705                        

1991        24-17       .585        

1992        28-20       .583        

1993        28-18       .609        

1994        16-15       .516        

1995        22-11       .667         10-4         .714         NWC 2nd (tie); NWC Tournament 2nd

1996        19-13       .594         11-5         .686         NWC 3rd; NWC Tournament 3rd (tie)

1997        23-5         .821         14-2         .875         NWC 2nd; NWC Tournament 2nd       

1998        31-8         .795         15-1         .938         NWC 1st; NWC Tournament 1st; NAIA national tournament

1999        19-7         .731         12-4         .800         NWC 2nd

2000        7-15         .318         5-11         .313         NWC 7th

2001        19-5         .792         11-5         .686         NWC 3rd

2002        20-6         .769         11-5         .686         NWC 3rd; #23 national ranking

2003        12-14       .462         7-9           .438         NWC 5th (tie)

2004        13-12       .520         8-8           .500         NWC 4th

2005        12-11       .522         7-9           .438         NWC 5th (tie)

2006        10-17       .370         6-10         .375         NWC 5th (tie)

2007        10-13       .435         5-11         .313         NWC 7th (tie)

2008        12-14       .462         6-10         .375         NWC 6th (tie)

27 yrs     539-358  .601         128-92    .582        

Grant's Honors

1984        NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year

1984        NCCAA National Coach of the Year

1987        NCCAA National Coach of the Year

1990        NAIA District 2 Coach of the Year

1998        NWC Coach of the Year