Bob Crank was named Quincy University's head women's volleyball coach on Friday, March 1, 2013. He will begin his third season as head coach this fall (2015).
In his second season guiding the Hawks, QU finished with an 11-18 record. After the month of October, Crank led his team to a 9-6 record to close out the season.
In his first season at the helm, Crank led the Hawks to a 9-21 record including a 2-1 record at the 2013 GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Tournament.
The Hawks had a player named to the 2013 GLVC/GLIAC Crossover All-Tournament Team this past season.
Crank was previously an assistant women's volleyball coach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a former head coach at Maryville University.
“I am very pleased to announce Bob Crank as our head women's volleyball coach,” Bell said. “He brings a wealth of experience, not only in volleyball, but in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. His experience, coupled with the talent level of the returning players, should make for a seamless transition for the program.”
Crank is coming off a two-year stint (2011-12) as the women's volleyball assistant coach at UMSL. He helped the Tritons to the GLVC Tournament both seasons and coached four All-GLVC players.
“I'm really excited to get started and get in the gym and start evaluating,” Crank said. “I'm a gym rat. I love being in the gym, I love training, I love making kids better. I'm most excited about that first week of spring practices, getting in there and seeing where we're at.
“I know there is a lot of potential in this program. I know there is a lot of talent in this team. I'm excited to see them playing at their potential. I definitely see this team playing in the conference tournament next season.”
Prior to his time at UMSL, Crank served eight seasons (2002, 2004-10) as the head women's volleyball coach at Maryville. He helped guide the Saints in their transition from the NCAA Division III level to Division II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
For the last eight years, Crank has been the head volleyball coach and girls division director at High Performance-STL Volleyball Club in St. Louis. He coached the girls 16-18-year-olds for the last four years, and four years prior, coached the same ages on the boys side. A prominent club in the Midwest, High Performance-STL was a five-time qualifier for the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships with Crank at the helm.
“I've always felt like I'm most comfortable in the gym, but I think being a club director has helped me improve in the office and as a general manager with better management and communication,” Crank said.
Crank is a 2008 graduate of Missouri Baptist University where he earned bachelor of science degrees in sports medicine and sports management. As a setter, Crank helped the Spartans to four consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Championships. He also served as a graduate assistant with the men's program at MBU in 2008.
Crank is also a veteran of the United States Army Reserves, in which he served as a psychological operations team chief from 1999-2005.
