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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












