Dr. Bruce Atkinson joined the Delaware State University staff as head women's volleyball coach on Feb. 11, 2019. Atkinsons 11-year career as a college head coach is highlighted by a 217-116 overall record (.652 win percentage), multiple conference championships, five Coach-of-the-Year awards and six 20-win seasons.  Atkinson most recently served as head womens volleyball coach at Winthrop (S.C.) University from 2013 to 2018. His 98 wins at Winthrop are third-most in the 32-year history of the program. From 2010 to 2013, Atkinson was head womens volleyball coach at Towson University in Maryland. In 2012, he led the Tigers to the Colonial Athletic Association championship and a 25-4 overall record, including a 12-0 mark in conference regular season matches. He earned two CAA Coach-of-the-Year awards (2011, 2012) while at Towson. Prior to his tenure at Towson, Atkinson was head womens volleyball coach at the University of Hawaii at Hilo from 2007 to 2010.  In three seasons, he was Pacific West Conference Coach-of-the-Year in 2007 and 2009, and led the Vulcans at a 69-13 overall record (.812), including a 39-5 mark in conference play (.872). Atkinson began his college coaching career as head womens volleyball coach at the University of Texas at Brownsville, where he led the Ocelots to a Red River Athletic Conference championship and was named league Coach-of-the-Year after posting a 27-10 overall record and 10-1 conference mark during the 2006-07 season. Dr. Atkinson is recognized nationally as a respected  teacher, leader, player developer and program builder in womens college volleyball, said Gines. Throughout his career, he has developed plans for player development, recruited for attitude and ability, cultivated team chemistry and built programs into conference championship competitors. I am confident that Dr. Atkinson is right leader to rebuild the Hornets volleyball team. The Delaware State volleyball team was 2-27 overall and winless in 10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matches during the 2018 campaign. In the last six seasons, the Hornets have a 12-153 won-loss record (6-64 MEAC) and have failed to qualify for the conference championship tournament since 2010.   Atkinson earned a bachelors degree in Physical Education (Scientific Emphasis) from Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 1993, and a Doctor of Chiropractic from Southern California University of Health Sciences in 1996. He is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (C.C.S.P.) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S), in addition to being CPR/AED Certified for Adult and Pediatric. Atkinson is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, National Strength and Conditioning Association and American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. A native of Merced, California, Atkinson is married to Junae Kekauoha. Im grateful to Delaware State and Dr. Gines for the opportunity to lead the Hornets volleyball program, said Atkinson. I am extremely impressed with the vision of the university and the athletics department. The challenge of rebuilding the program and working with our dedicated student-athletes and staff is exciting to me and Im very much looking forward to this new chapter in my career.   What Others Are Saying About  Dr. Bruce Atkinson  The hiring of Dr. Atkinson is a tremendous move for Delaware State. Ive known Bruce for nearly 15 years and have admired everything about his coaching career. Hes a great teacher and recruiter, runs an amazing system and knows what it takes to build a championship program. He also has solid core values, which have no doubt contributed greatly to his success.                                                                   Joanne Persico, St. Johns University (N.Y.) Head Womens Volleyball Coach