Jerry Wagner named new MSU-Northern volleyball coach

Jerry Wagner is home.

One week after interviewing for the vacant head volleyball job at Montana State University-Northern, Wagner was introduced as the new head coach Thursday inside the Armory Gymnasium.

"This wasn't a tough decision," Wagner, who started a now 35-year coaching career, as the head coach of the Skylights back in 1987. "It's time. I couldn't be happier to be back here at Northern, I couldn't be happier to return home after being away for the last 30 years."

Wagner, a graduate of both Havre High and Northern Montana College, got his coaching career started at Northern in 1987. He was most recently an assistant coach at UTEP.

He served as the head coach at the University of Montana for nine seasons (2006-2014). During his tenure with the Grizzlies, Wagner compiled a 102-147 record, including a 74-78 mark in Big Sky Conference action. He coached 46 All-Academic All-Big Sky Conference selections and his teams posted a 3.0 GPA or better every semester. In 13 of the 16 terms he served, his teams managed a GPA of 3.2 or above. With his strong emphasis on education, he guided three of his teams to earn the AVCA Team Academic Award.

Griz players earned a dozen All-Big Sky Conference honors under Wagner and his staff, including Capri Richardson, who received second-team honors at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

Prior to Montana, Wagner was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for the 2005 season. The Bulldogs finished the season with a 10-21 record, a six-win improvement from the 2004 season.

Before taking the Gonzaga job, he served as an assistant coach for four years (1999-2002) and associate head coach for two (2003-2004) at Montana State. In six seasons at Montana State, Wagner was part of teams that went 117-54 (.684). He landed some of the best recruiting classes in the Northwest, including the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year in 2000 and 2001 and the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in 2002.

Prior to working at Montana State, Wagner spent eight years (1991-1999) at Oregon State beginning his stint with the Beavers under former Montana State head coach Dave Gantt in 1991. While at OSU, he helped guide the Beavers to 125 wins, including back-to-back trips to the National Invitational Volleyball Championships in 1993 and 1994.

Wagner joined the OSU staff after serving as assistant coach at the University of Montana from 1988 to 1991. In his three seasons at Montana, the Grizzlies registered a 61-27 record, including a 37-11 mark in the Big Sky Conference.

Under head coach Dick Scott, Wagner helped the Grizzlies to two 20-win seasons and the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in 1990.

Now, after all of his travels, he's home.

"I can't really put into words what this means to me, and how good this opportunity is for me," Wagner said. "Being here today, brings back a lot of great memories. So I can't wait to get going. I can't wait to get into the gym and get going. In the gym is where I'm at my best, and I can't wait to get this started."

For complete coverage of Wagner and MSU-N volleyball, see Friday's Havre Daily News.