Kansas Adds Volleyball Assistant Coach Ken Murczek

March 27, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Ken Murczek (mur-ZEK) has been named <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas assistant volleyball coach it was announced by Jayhawk head coach Ray Bechard on Thursday.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

“He brings a number of invaluable experiences both as a coach and a former player,” Bechard said of Murczek. “He is well connected with the club volleyball circuit, which we feel will create some good opportunities for us. Those things, along with the fact that he has great work ethic and personality, we know he will fit right in with our program.”

Murczek, who joins the Kansas coaching staff after spending the last year as an assistant at Virginia, replaces former KU assistant coach Jill Jones Stuckey, who accepted an associate head coaching position at Wyoming earlier this month.

A Chicago, Ill., native, Murczek will work with KU’s outside hitters and will also be responsible for team travel and video editing.

“I would like to thank the University of Kansas athletic department for the opportunity to work with the Jayhawks’ volleyball program,” said Murczek. “I was very impressed with the high level of commitment the administration has for the program. I feel the University of Kansas is a perfect fit for my wife and me.”

In addition to his stint at Virginia, Murczek has also served as an assistant at Western Michigan (2005-06) and a volunteer assistant at Purdue (2004). During the 2002 and 2003 seasons, he was head coach at Division II St. Joseph’s College.

A successful player at all levels, Murczek began his collegiate volleyball career at LewisUniversity before transferring to Division I San Diego State, where his team received top 15 votes during his senior season. Murczek also finished ranked fifth in the country in digs per game. He then went on to the University of Arizona where his club volleyball team won back-to-back national championships.

After college, Murczek played four seasons of professional six person indoor volleyball in Gelterkinden, Switzerland; Biendenkopf, Germany; Niort, France and Bandung, Indonesia. He has also competed in several beach volleyball tournaments during the summer months throughout the United States.

Murczek earned his B.S. in kinesiology from San DiegoStateUniversity 1998 before going on to earn a M.A. in teaching and teacher education from the University of Arizona in 2000. Murczek also has degrees from IndianaState in Teaching Credential in physical education and science (2003), and a M.S. in sport management from WesternMichiganUniversity (2007).

Murczek and his wife, Jennifer, married in August 2007.