The Lamar Community College Runnin’ Lopes volleyball program will be under the direction of new head coach Dante Geoffrey in 2016 and beyond.

“We are excited to have Dante as our new head volleyball coach,” remarked LCC Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Scott Crampton.  “He comes from a very strong program in the Region IX-North subdivision, and I’ve already been very impressed with his professionalism and work ethic.  The LCC Volleyball program will certainly take off under his direction.”

“Coach Dante” is determined to shape the program into one recognized and respected for its strong culture, academic focus, developmental prowess and tenacious competitive spirit.

“Of course I’m excited, I’m beyond excited,” Coach Dante said of his first role as head coach. “But I almost don’t have time to be excited. I’m too eager to get to work.”

Plans to advance the program and establish success on and off the court are already in action, and both Coach Dante and the Lopes players are ready to work together to push the program upward.

“A willingness to work, as individuals and as a team, will be key to our future success,” Coach Dante said. “This is just as much their (the players’) program as it is mine, and if everyone involved takes pride in the process, great things can happen here.”

Coach Dante said Lopes Volleyball will be built on commitment, communication and trust. The emphasis placed on team bonding, leadership and character will prepare the Lopes for whatever happens during competition, as well as for life outside the gym and beyond LCC.

Coach Dante came to Lamar after two highly successful seasons at the NJCAA level. As the assistant coach at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, the Trappers won two Region IX-North championships and made back-to-back Final Four appearances at the NJCAA National Tournament. They were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation and remained in the top-five for the entire 2015 season. Coach Dante coached three All-Americans, five All-Region players and five players named to the Wyoming Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference team.

“I was fortunate enough to learn from a top coach (Shaun Pohlman) at an elite program, and will institute those principles, in my own way, here at Lamar,” Coach Dante said.

The opportunity to build something of his own in a close-knit community of Colorado, a state with a strong volleyball tradition, enticed Coach Dante, a California native.

“Deciding to leave Northwest was hard, but choosing to come to Lamar was easy,” Coach Dante said. “It’s a city and campus of great support and generosity, and I’m lucky to have been brought in to such a positive situation.”