Mark Bohling, a New Jersey native who played professional beach volleyball after competing on a variety of collegiate indoor volleyball programs, will oversee both teams at Liberty.
A former founding player and four-year head coach of West Virginia University's men's volleyball team, Mark Bohling brings an impressive resumé to Liberty University as head coach of its men's indoor and beach volleyball teams starting this semester.
Bohling brings a wide array of coaching and playing experience that will translate well to Liberty's indoor and outdoor programs.
Bohling, who has spent the past 15 years coaching Austin Juniors Volleyball Association's club teams alongside his wife, Lauren, moved his family to Lynchburg, Va., from Texas this past week to succeed former Flames player and longtime head and assistant coach Bryan Rigg.
"It's super exciting," Bohling said. "Bryan Rigg has been phenomenal in helping me to understand the transition and making sure things are set up well. I am looking forward to stepping into what he has already created. Team-wise, the guys are amazing. I've already been in contact with them and expect a great transition. It is going to be very quick, but fluid."
He will look to supplement a returning roster of 24 players during the Aug. 24 and 26 tryouts for the men's indoor volleyball team from 3-5 p.m. in the LaHaye Multipurpose Center. Some of the same players and several others are expected to turn out for the men's beach volleyball tryout tentatively set for Sunday, Aug. 30, from 8-10 p.m. at the East Campus Volleyball Courts.
"About 95 percent of the players came back, and we've already got some recruited freshmen coming in, so it is the best transition I could imagine," Bohling said, noting he is expecting upwards of 35 players at the indoor tryouts based on the initial response.
Liberty Club Sports Deputy Athletic Director Jeff Boettger, who reviewed and interviewed the candidates for the job with Rigg, said Bohling's application stood out from the rest.
"He's been a teacher; he's been a police officer; he's been in the Air Force; he has played volleyball at a high level in both beach and indoor; and he has a lot of really cool experience in volleyball to bring in to mentor and lead our student-athletes," Boettger said, noting communication and relationship-building skills are two of Bohling's strengths.
"He has worked with student-athletes, and he loves to educate, which is a huge plus," Boettger added. "Bringing his philosophy and presence and understanding of the game, it will be exciting to see how he comes in and leads this team and makes a mark on the program as he recruits and develops these student-athletes."
Rigg, who plans to help with the transition, said Bohling checked all the boxes for qualities of the ideal coach to replace him and advance the program.
"Mark is a stellar candidate and the fact that he was willing to move here for this job is terrific," Rigg said. "That shows his love for volleyball and his commitment to the program. He's got a real heart for Liberty, and it is the greatest possible scenario to hand the program off to somebody who fits the Liberty Way, somebody who has a high-quality character and a high-quality coaching background and who wants to honor the Lord. Mark is a perfect combination of that."
After starting out in beach volleyball in the mid-1980s and playing indoor at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University in his home state, Bohling competed for WVU through 2002 before joining a team at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and representing the U.S. Armed Forces team as an officer in Europe before completing his tour of duty in 2006. He also pursued professional beach volleyball through the East Cost Volleyball Association and Great American Volleyball.
Bohling coached several girls and boys teams over the past 15 years through the Austin Junior Volleyball Association, one of the largest travel organizations in Texas.
Bohling's background coaching at a variety of levels — from youth girls (including 10 seasons as the Holy Family Catholic School's 5th-8th-grade team) to collegiate men — gives him a unique perspective and competitive advantage.
"He has a strong track record of professional coaching and has coached men's and women's, high school and college volleyball," Rigg said.
"Coaching men's players, he understands their passion and drive and knows they need a holistic framework to develop in," Boettger added. "I am looking forward to working alongside him so that the student-athletes have an amazing experience."
Rigg said besides having an excellent grasp of volleyball formations, Bohling's demeanor and approach are perfectly suited for the position.
"I would define his coaching style as extremely relational," he said. "He builds relationships, and through the collateral, guys buy into the vision of the program. His personality is shaped by years of experience in the sport, and that comes out in the most obvious way through good self-awareness. He recognizes what he does well and what he doesn't and is very honest and clear about that and that helps his communication. His players will find he's a good listener. He knows what he's talking about, and he cares a lot about them as individuals."
Vann-Mikael Bohling, a rising junior outside hitter on scholarship at William Penn University in Iowa, is transferring to Liberty to play for his dad.
Mark Bohling (left) with his son, Vann-Mikael, daughter Adele, and wife, Lauren
"We're getting the band back together," Mark Bohling said. "You don't notice how much you enjoy your children's lives until they go away and you don't see them anymore. We are excited to have the family back together at a university that is so family oriented. (Liberty) is amazing, and the people here made us feel right at home when we came out for the interview."
The Bohlings' daughter, Adele, will join Boettger's daughter, Ava, and Rigg's daughter, Naomi, on New Covenant High School's varsity girls' volleyball team in Lynchburg this fall as well as the Tenacity Volleyball Academy's U-17 travel team coached by Rigg in the spring.
"It should be a fun year," Rigg said. "It will be the first time I've been able to coach (Naomi). That's big for me."
While she may not be part of the coaching staff, as she was at WVU where she coached her husband in the late 1990s, Lauren Bohling will be an excellent sounding board for Mark as he steps into the new role.
"He's got a lot of great qualities, but she is maybe even more knowledgeable in volleyball," Rigg said. "Whenever he has a question, and he is trying to figure out a better way of doing things, she will be an invaluable resource and a huge benefit to have her on the team as well."
Bohling and his wife, who is from San Antonio, coached at rival Pennsylvania community colleges — Mark at Bucks County and Lauren at Montgomery County in 2010.
"We have had so many amazing experiences as husband-wife coaches," Mark Bohling said. "The last few years, she's enjoyed being a volleyball mom. She's a true volleyball coach and cannot stay out of the gym, and she'll be popping in on us."
