FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State volleyball head coach Leisa Rosen has named Orlando Catalan, Jr. as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs on Friday.
Arriving from the University of Florida after four seasons with the Gators, Catalan was the technical coordinator for the Gators from 2019 to 2022.
The Gators collected 95 wins over his four seasons in Gainesville winning SEC regular season titles in 2019 and 2022, went to three Sweet 16's and the Elite Eight in the spring of 2021 falling to Wisconsin in five sets.
Prior to his time in Gainesville, Catalan spent five seasons at LIU Brooklyn, where he served as both an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
His main duties were to head both international and domestic recruiting, assist with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports. He would also organize team travel and meals.
During his five years with the Blackbirds, he helped the team to a 90-54 overall record and four regular season NEC championships. The squad also won three NEC Tournament championships during his tenure. Under Catalan's tutelage, the Blackbirds earned 12 First Team All-Conference selections and six Second Team All-Conference selections. The squad also won three NEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, two NEC Player of the Year honors and one Setter of the Year honor during his time.
LIU Brooklyn made the NCAA Tournament three of the five seasons that Catalan was a member of the staff.
Before arriving at LIU Brooklyn, Catalan served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma during the 2012-13 seasons. His primary duties were assisting with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports.
During his time at Oklahoma, the Sooners went 46-19 overall, including a 2013 squad that went 24-8 and finished the season tied for third in the Big 12. Both seasons Catalan worked under head coach Santiago Restrepo, the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In the 2011 season, Catalan served as a volunteer assistant coach for Embry Riddle University. He helped train the setters and blockers, as well as plan the day-to-day practice schedules. The team registered a 30-6 overall record, finishing first in the Sun Conference. They finished No. 6 in the NAIA final rankings after making it to an elite eight.
Catalan has also coached for both the PVL/USAV Open, as well as for High Performance. Beginning in 2014, Catalan started working with the Premier Volleyball League/USAV Open. There, he served as an assistant coach from 2014-15, then was promoted to head coach in 2016.
From 2009-12, he worked as an assistant coach for TEAM Florida High Performance Boys' YNT. He trained setters and blockers, while also assisting with practice plans and in-game scouting. He followed that with a stint as the head coach for TEAM GEVA HP Women's Junior Team.
Catalan has also has an abundance of coaching at the club level, having been involved since 2008. From 2008-12, he coached for the Orlando Gold VBC/Atlantic Coast Juniors, before moving on to the Oklahoma Elite Volleyball Club from 2012-14.
He moved on to the Aviator Volleyball Club in 2014, where he served as both head coach and club director from 2014-15. Presently, he coaches the NYC Juniors, where he has been since the 2015 season.
The Florida native played collegiate volleyball at Warner University in Lake Wales, Fla. from 2007-11. In his senior season at Warner, Catalan was selected team captain and named the starting setter. The Royals finished with a program-best No. 5 ranking in the NAIA and a 16-7 final record.
Catalan at a Glance
Education: B.S. in Sports Management, Warner University, 2011
Served as team captain on the men's volleyball team (2006-11)
Led the team to the NAIA National Tournament and a #5 NAIA Final Ranking in 2011
Coaching Experience:
University of Florida: Technical Coordinator, 2019-22
LIU Brooklyn: Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, 2014-19
University of Oklahoma: Volunteer Assistant Coach, 2012-14
Embry Riddle University: Volunteer Assistant Coach, 2011-12
Warner University: Student Assistant Coach, 2007-11
Next Level Volleyball Academy: Co-Founder, The academies are designed to help young players compete at the next level