Andrew Fuller has been named Stanford’s head beach volleyball coach, as announced Monday by Cardinal Director of Athletics Bernard Muir.
Fuller, who will be the third head coach in the history of the program, arrives on The Farm after coaching his wife, Lauren Fendrick, in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics for beach volleyball.
Fuller was an assistant beach volleyball coach from 2012-15 at USC, where he helped the Trojans win the 2015 AVCA national championship, as well as the pairs national championships from 2013-15.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew on board as the next head coach of our beach volleyball program, said Muir. “Andrew has experienced success at all levels of the sport in a short amount of time and his familiarity with the collegiate landscape will allow for a smooth transition. I am confident Andrew has the abilities to lead this program onward and foster an environment that parallels our values of scholar-athleticism.”
A graduate of Saint Francis and native of Mountain View, Fuller graduated from Virginia Tech in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communications while serving as president of the men’s volleyball team. Fuller also earned an MFA degree in photography at Academy of Art University in San Francisco in 2011.
“Stanford University boasts an incredible tradition of scholar-athleticism and I am ecstatic to become a part of something so special,” said Fuller. “I am humbled and excited by this opportunity presented to me by Bernard and Coach Dunning. Lauren and I are thrilled to return to the area where I grew up and fell in love with the sport.”
Fuller served as assistant beach volleyball coach for Long Beach State in 2012, the inaugural season of NCAA beach volleyball, guiding the 49ers to second-place finishes in both the team and pairs national championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
From 2012-15, Fuller served as assistant beach volleyball coach at USC, helping the Trojans win the 2015 national championship and three consecutive pairs titles starting in 2013. Fuller coached six All-Americans in his time at USC.
“We are all very excited about Andrew and his wide variety of experience coaching in some of the best beach programs in the country over the past several years,” said Stanford volleyball head coach John Dunning. “Andrew is a really, really good fit for Stanford beach volleyball and we all can’t wait for him to get started.”
Currently, Fuller serves as a coach for the United States Beach Volleyball National Team. In 2016, he coached Fendrick and Brooke Sweat to a berth at the Rio Olympics, guiding the same pair to a fifth-place finish at the 2015 World Championships. In 2015, Fuller coached Fendrick to victory at the 2015 AVP Championships in Huntington Beach, California.
Fuller is an instructor and cadre member of the USA Beach Volleyball Coaching Accreditation Program, as well as an active coach and evaluator for the USA Volleyball High Performance program.
The 32-year-old Fuller is also a successful professional beach volleyball player, laying claim to nine top-10 finishes on the AVP Tour. With partner Mark Van Zwieten, Fuller finished fifth in the 2011 Pan American Games.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics