Tennessee Tech named 2002 NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year Qi Wang (pronounced Chee Wong), as its new volleyball head coach last Thursday.

Wang replaces Jennie Gilbert as the Golden Eagles’ head coach after she resigned in December. Wang inherits a team with an 8-18 overall record and 5-11 Ohio Valley Conference record in 2002. The team finished in seventh place in the OVC and failed to qualify for the conference tournament.

“We are absolutely delighted to select Qi Wang to lead our volleyball program,” Tennessee Tech Athletics Director David Larimore said when making the announcement Thursday. “He has a tremendous background both as a player and coach on the collegiate and international levels.”

Wang started his playing career in 1974 competing with the elite professional and collegiate teams in China. He continued to play competitively until he was 26 years old.

Wang began his coaching career in 1983 with men’s and women’s teams in China. From 1983 to 1985, Wang was head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Normal University of China. From 1987 to 1994 he coached the Dalian University of Technology of China.

For the past six years, Wang has been coaching at Truman (Mo.) State University. He spent four years as an assistant coach before becoming head coach of the Bulldogs following the 2000 season.

In 2001, Wang led Truman to its best record in team history. The Bulldogs led the NCAA Division II in winning percentage (.949) and won a team-record 37 matches, including 11 wins against Top 25 teams.

The team won the South Central Regional and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time. The team finished the year with a national ranking of No. 3.

Last year, the Bulldogs won their third consecutive Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association title, returned to the Elite Eight and finished as the national runner-up.

“This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make,” Wang said. “I will miss the opportunity of the fight for a national championship over the next few years. I’m excited about Tennessee Tech because the volleyball program has great potential.”