Steve Grant, whose tenure at George Fox University is the longest of any current coach, enters his 31sth season with the Bruins' volleyball team in 2012, having established the program as one of the most consistent winners in the nation during that time.

In Grant’s 30 years at George Fox, the Bruins have ended the season on the plus side of the ledger 21 times, including 13 straight winning records from 1987 through 1999.  With a career record of 577-395 (.594), all at George Fox, he ranks 14th in victories among currently-active NCAA Division III coaches, and 22nd 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. 

In the summer of 2007, Grant was named associate director of intercollegiate athletics at George Fox, taking on additional duties that include chairing the Sports Hall of Fame Committee and various game management responsibilities.  He is in his 10th year as chairman of the health and human performance department, and was honored by his peers with the 2006-07 Faculty Achievement Award for Undergraduate Teaching.  He also served as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball program at George Fox until 1995.

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 University) 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 sons, both married and living in the Portland area.

Steve Grant's Coaching Ledger

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

 Grant’s Milestone Wins

1 -

50 -

100 -

150 - 2-1 (12-15, 15-9, 15-7) vs. Southern Oregon at Monmouth, Ore. (Western Oregon State Tournament), 10/15/1988

200 - 3-1 (15-13, 17-15, 7-15, 15-11) vs. Western Oregon, 10/9/1990             

250 - 2-1 (4-15, 15-12, 15-12) vs. Linfield, 9/26/1992

300 - 2-1 (8-15, 15-8, 16-14) vs. Pacific (Ore.) at Monmouth, Ore. (Western Oregon State Tournament), 10/7/1994

350 - 3-1 (10-15, 15-8, 15-9, 15-7) vs. Linfield, 11/2/1996

400 - 3-2 (15-3, 15-9, 3-15, 11-15, 15-13) vs. Puget Sound at Monmouth, Ore. (NAIA Pacific Northwest Sectional), 11/13/1998

450 - 3-0 (30-18, 30-17, 30-23) vs. Lewis & Clark, 11/3/2001

500 - 3-1 (30-32,30-20,30-27,30-26) vs. Willamette, 9/23/2005

550 - 3-1 (19-25,25-21,25-15,25-23) at Pacific (Ore.), 10/3/2009