Going out on top: Dunning retires
John Dunning, who last month coached the Stanford women’s volleyball team to its record-tying seventh NCAA title, announced his retirement Monday.
He directed the Cardinal to three national championships and eight conference titles during his 16 years on the Farm. He previously won two national titles at Pacific.
“I am a very lucky person,’’ he said in a statement. “I have had the joy of coaching in a sport I love for decades, but have decided that it is time to retire. I have had the wonderful opportunity to coach so many great student-athletes, and work with amazing people in amazing programs at great universities.”
Dunning’s five national titles rank second in NCAA Division I history. He was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011. A four-time national coach of the year, he finishes his career with an 888-185 overall record, including a 451-83 mark at Stanford, compiling the most wins in program history.
In 32 seasons as a head coach, his teams made the postseason each year. He led 12 teams to the Final Four, including eight of his Stanford squads. He and Penn State’s Russ Rose are the only coaches in the history of the sport to guide 10 teams to the national finals.
Dunning coached 38 All-Americans and produced seven national players of the year. At Stanford, he mentored three Olympians — Logan Tom (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012), Ogonna Nnamani (2004, 2008) and Foluke Akinradewo (2012, 2016) — and produced numerous U.S. national-team players.