Jerritt Elliott has done exactly what he needed to do. After a long search for Sullivan’s replacement, the Texas Longhorns are finally on the rise at full speed. The former associate coach’s absence has been prominent for some time now, but the team finally generated some excitement. Recently, when Erik Sullivan was named the head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, the Texas Longhorns looked forward to maintaining their high standards and records.

The Longhorns have won 12 titles and multiple national championships in NCAA Division I Volleyball so far, all thanks to the expertise of their coaches! These legends, including Elliott, have been the ones who emphasize the overall development of the players and help them succeed. Now that they have a new hire, it will be even more thrilling to see what this new associate coach has to offer! 

The Texas Longhorns’ new associate coach is…

With the most experience in both men’s and women’s games, especially in the standards of international volleyball, the Longhorns hired Ben Josephson as the new associate coach. Elliott made the announcement on February 13 that the veteran joined the Texas Volleyball coaching team in which he expressed, “We are very excited to welcome Ben and his family to our program,” calling him the perfect fit who would prepare the team well to compete in the upcoming NCAA tournaments. 

It is a genuine expectation that the team has from their new coach, as he keeps his standard tight and brings in a high level of sport knowledge and expertise. If we look at Josephson’s record, we can find his recent success at Kentucky in international volleyball. Elliott is excited to see a promising future for Texas. He said, “We’re looking forward to what’s to come and what Ben brings to our program.” He believes his pick to be worthy of bringing success to his team. Good job, Coach! 

Josephson expressed his admiration and his gratitude for the team, stating that the Texas Longhorns keep a “healthy culture.” He said, “I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know the staff over the years and got to learn about the healthy culture and fun personality of the Longhorns program.” He called the program a great legacy. He further shared his joy in joining the program as he went on to say, “It’s truly remarkable and I’m excited to join the great legacy of the Texas Volleyball, see how we can build upon the recent successes and see what this exciting group of talented athletes in the gym can do.”

Sullivan focus directed to national team

Erik Sullivan, the former associate coach for the Longhorns, has been more than just a proven track record in collegiate volleyball. He has been a champ during his days, playing professional leagues across Europe and the US. And his coaching? He helped the Longhorns secure a total of 368 wins! That includes 12 conference championships, 8 NCAA Final Four appearances, and 12 NCAA Regional Final appearances. No wonder we call him the master of defensive systems! 

While it has been difficult for the Longhorns to part ways with Sullivan, they are still proud to see him coaching the national team. As part of the hiring process, USA Volleyball has prioritized him for his abundance of accolades and experience. John Speraw, president and CEO of USA Volleyball, said, “We needed someone who could hit the ground running and bring that specific expertise, and Erik was a clear choice.” Sullivan’s understanding of setting elite-level strategies to compete on an international stage makes him the perfect pick for this. 

Now with the two great leaders in two different spheres of the game, we can’t wait to see the results that their leadership can fetch. While Josephson trains the Longhorns to compete in the NCAA, Sullivan’s win represents the country’s win. Both their goals converge at one point to build a foundation for young athletes to develop their potential and compete at the highest levels!