Jim Callender
Head Coach

Jim Callender, Head Coach
E-mail Coach Callender

With more than 500 wins under his belt, Mustang volleyball coach Jim Callender has been around the block a time or two. The 20-year veteran of the coaching wars eclipsed the 500 win barrier on August 31, 2004 and is expected to earn many more victories before his days as a Mustang are over.

The BYU graduate has taken programs that were near DOA status and changed them into championship caliber teams more than a few times. His situation was no different at WNMU.

Upon his arrival at WNMU for the 1998 season, Callender took a program that was most likely the worst in Division II, and took them to the conference tournament that year in the incredibly difficult Pac-West. That turnaround season, which went from "Oh-fer" to .500 was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the country.

The impressive improvement continues as his 2004 team is coming off a second-place finish in the Pacific West. Over the past three years, his Mustang charges have knocked off numerous top-10 programs and the fruits of those efforts continue to pay dividends in the recruiting wars. Callender has made WNMU a big stop in the national arena for quality recruits.

Prior to his arrive at WNMU, Coach Callender has seen considerable success at virtually all levels of college volleyball. With winning records from Division I Memphis State, to DIII member St. Mary's (Minn.), Callender is a major player in the national volleyball community, serving on numerous district, regional and national committees. Coach Callender also served successfully as head coach at Peru State, Mundelein College and Western Oregon.

In addition to his collegiate ties, Callender served for over 20 years as a head coach at the USAV volleyball development camps as well as being a clinician for the organization and its summer camps.

His sparkling coaching career has seen 41 All-District and 12 All-Americans, in addition to numerous All-Academic Award recipients.

His WNMU teams are perennially atop the athletic GPA standings, as academics remains one of the main factors behind his recruiting scheme.

As a player, he campaigned for Brigham Young's men's program, where he also served as a graduate assistant upon his graduation.

Callender received his B.B.S and his MBA from Western Illinois (1980 and 1982). In addition, he is near completion of his Ed.D degree from Brigham Young University.