Damian Elder - Volleyball Coach - Mercer University Athletics

Damian Elder

Hired at Mercer: January 17, 2012

Collegiate Coaching Experience:

2012-Present – Mercer University
- Beach/Indoor Head Coach
2011 – College of Charleston
- Indoor Assistant Coach
2006-10 – University of South Carolina
- Beach Head Coach | Indoor Associate Head Coach
2004-05 – Stanford University
- Indoor Volunteer Assistant Coach

Coaching Accolades at Mercer:

Beach Volleyball:
- Ushered in and developed Sand/Beach Volleyball as a varsity sport at Mercer in 2012
- 30-63 overall record (8-26 ASUN conference record)
  - 4-3 record at ASUN Tournament since 2015
  - Reached double-digit wins (10) in each of the last two seasons
- Coached three All-ASUN First Team pairs & five ASUN All-Freshman selections
  - Mentored two of nine all-time ASUN student-athletes to earn multiple First Team selections (Tori Penrod, 2014 & 2016; Emily Krogman, 2015 & 2016)
- Featured speaker at 2016 America Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Convention
Indoor Volleyball:
- 48-98 overall record (25-59 conference record; Atlantic Sun and Southern Conference)
  - 36-53 overall record (18-30 conference play) since joining SoCon in 2014
  - Ranks fourth in program history in all-time wins
- Guided the Bears’ to their first winning season in nine years in 2016
  - 15-14 overall record & 7-9 in SoCon play
  - Sixth-most wins in a single season in program history
- Mentored three All-Conference student-athletes (Two SoCon; One ASUN)
- Mentored two SoCon/ASUN All-Freshman student-athletes (One SoCon; One ASUN)
- Recruited & mentored libero/defensive specialist Tori Penrod (2013-16)
  - Top-three in program history in career digs (1,792) & career digs per set (4.17)
- Recruited & mentored middle blocker Paige Alsten (2015-Present)
  - Program’s single-season record holder in blocks, hitting percentage

Academic Accolades at Mercer:

Beach Volleyball:
- Set program-record of 3.7 cumulative GPA in 2016 Fall semester
- Two-time winner of Mercer’s Presidential Scholar Award (2013-14 & 2015-16)
- 14 ASUN All-Academic selections since 2012 (most of any ASUN program)
Indoor Volleyball:
- Three consecutive semesters with at least 3.4 cumulative GPA (Fall 2015-Fall 2016)
  - Had league-best eight student-athletes named to 2016 SoCon Fall All-Academic Team

Past Coaching Accolades:

College of Charleston
- Helped guide Cougars to 25-10 (14-2 SoCon) record & a runner-up finish in 2011 SoCon Tournament
University of South Carolina
- Oversaw five teams that totaled 71 wins (including program-record 21 wins in 2002)
- Helped USC bring in its first competitive sand volleyball team
- Led Gamecocks to 2009 SEC Beach Championship Title
- Instituted SEC’s first sand volleyball training program & sand volleyball camp
Stanford University
- 2004 NCAA Division I National Championship