The Oglethorpe athletic department is pleased to announce the hiring of Joseph Goodson as their new head volleyball coach, effective immediately.
“After a national search and many qualified candidates, we are ecstatic to officially welcome Joseph Goodson to the Stormy Petrels family,” said Oglethorpe Director of Athletics Becky Hall.”I believe with his wealth of volleyball knowledge, his ability to recruit quality student-athletes, and his passion and competitive spirit, that we have the makings of a solid coach and professional for our program. I look forward to watching him turn the volleyball program around and making us a competitor both in the SAA and beyond in the years to come. It’s an exciting time for the women on this team.”
Goodson has extensive experience as a college volleyball coach, including a 3-season stint as head coach of Jacksonville State University, a Division I program in Jacksonville, Alabama, from 2011 through 2014. He spent the past three seasons as the assistant volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator at Emory University in Atlanta. Before that, Goodson was the assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay from 2007 through 2011, and a volunteer assistant at Georgia Institute of Technology for the 2006 season and the University of Georgia for the 1998 season.
He also has experience in the club volleyball arena. He serves as a head coach at Tsunami Volleyball Club, a post which he took in 2014. While in Wisconsin, he was a head coach at Fox Cities Elite Volleyball Club in Appleton from 2007 through 2011.
“I would like to first thank President Schall and Director of Athletics Becky Hall for this tremendous opportunity, and for entrusting me with the future direction and leadership of the Oglethorpe University volleyball program,” Goodson said. “I am one of the fortunate people who get to do what they truly love, and are meant to do, for a living. I am looking forward to becoming an active member of the Stormy Petrels athletics family and Oglethorpe University community. Success in the classroom and on the court, and creating a positive impact in the community, will continue to be the OU volleyball standard. We will work hard, play with passion, and have a ton of fun together!”
Goodson has also worked as an athletic trainer, serving as the head athletic trainer at Morehouse College in Atlanta from 2000 to ’06, a clinical athletic trainer at Georgia from 1998 to ’99, and an assistant athletic trainer at Emory from 1991 to ’98.
He earned a Bachelor of Science from Berry College in 1986. He also earned a Master of Science in sports medicine from the United States Sports Academy in 1989.
Goodson will be taking over a program that is coming off an 11-19 season and has won 10 or more matches in two of the last three seasons. The Petrels finished tied for sixth in the SAA with a 3-11 conference mark in 2016.
