Miami University is gearing up for a fresh start in its women’s volleyball program with the appointment of Dan Gwitt as the new head coach for the upcoming season.

A resident of Eden, New York, Gwitt graduated from Penn State in 2007. During his time there, he played right wing for the Penn State men’s volleyball team.

“I never coached before; the coach there got fired, and they were like, can you do it? Of course, I can. I had to look at it as probably the best opportunity ever because I realized that if I wanted to coach for the rest of my life, it was going to be a challenge,” said Gwitt.

According to Sayler, Gwitt’s stellar reputation and strong recommendations were key factors in his selection for the position.

“What made Dan stand out to me for this job is the reputation that he’s built in the profession he’s in. A lot of people recommended him, and his recruiting ability is what stands out. His ability to teach the student-athletes, and his integrity and how good of a person he is,” said Sayler.

During his tenure at Penn State, Gwitt played a pivotal role in two NCAA Sweet 16 trips (2022, 2023) and contributed to signing top-10 recruiting classes in both years. Under his guidance, the Nittany Lions produced seven All-Big Ten players and two AVCA All-Americans.

“I can’t promise that we will have 30:0 wins, I can’t promise this season is going to be better, I can’t promise a championship, but what I can promise is that the student-athletes will be treated well,” said Gwitt.