Volleyball Coaches

No other coach of Brown volleyball has been as successful as Diane Short. Since becoming head coach of the Bears in 1993, she has twice lead Brown to the NCAA Championship tournament, and has captured three Ivy League titles.  Her 1998 squad recorded the most wins in Brown volleyball history, posting a perfect ledger against Ivy League foes along the way.

Elevated to full-time status before the 1995 season, Short led the 1996 Brown team to its first winning record in five years, an NCAA Championship tournament trip to the University of Louisville, and the program's first 20-win season since 1984. It was the first post-season appearance for Brown in the history of the program. Under Short's direction, Tomo Nakanishi '00 earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors, and three players were named All-Ivy.

Halted by injury in 1997, her 1998 team finished with a 23-9 record and another NCAA appearance, this time at the University of Hawaii. Corre Myer '02 earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors, while Nakanishi was lauded Ivy League Player of the Year. Under her tenure, Coach Short's players have been named First Team All-Ivy League 11 times. Three - Cathy Luke (1994), Nakanishi (1998), and Corre Myer (2001) - have been named Ivy League Player of the Year. Two - Nakanishi (1996) and Myer (1998) - were chosen Ivy League Rookie of the Year.

Prior to coming to Brown, Short served as an assistant coach at Providence College for three seasons (1989-91), including two seasons (1990-91) as head coach of the PC men's volleyball club team. She also brings six years of high school coaching experience with her to the Brown campus, and she has been at the helm of the 1995 Rhode Island Junior Volleyball Club.

As a player, Short was a four-year standout at the University of Rhode Island, graduating in 1986 with a B.S. in Physical Education and Health with a concentration in coaching. As a starting middle blocker, she was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference as a senior, while helping lead the Rams to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1985.

Short resides in North Scituate, R.I., with her husband, Franc, and three children, Bob '09, Kyle and Becky. An IMPACT and CAP II certified coach,she is currently working towards her CAP III certification. Short is also associate director of the RI Blast Junior Volleyball club program. Her 12-and-under team won the 2004 New England Region championship, with daughter Becky being a feature player, and her 16-and-unders repeated the feat in 2006.

Scott Blanchard has returned for his second stint as an assistant coach for the Brown University Women's Volleyball team, this time in a full-time position. Blanchard was last at Brown during the '95 and '96 seasons, during which time the Bears were Ivy League Champions ('96).

Prior to his two seasons with the Bears, Blanchard spent time at the high school and college levels in his home state of Michigan. His stops included eight seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, as well as three seasons at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. Blanchard also enjoyed a very successful tenure as a high school coach in Michigan. As the head coach at Trenton High School, he compiled an overall record of 185-60 over seven seasons ('89-'95).

Blanchard moved to Massachusetts in 1995, at which time he joined the staff at Brown University. After two seasons with Brown, he spent one season as an assistant coach at Northeastern University (Boston, MA), followed by two seasons as the head coach at Babson College (Wellesley, MA). For the 2000 season, Blanchard returned to the high school scene. He took over a very successful program at Medway High School ( seven-time State Champions between '89 and '99) where he helped continue the program's success with a record of 155-30 over eight seasons, which included two appearances in the State Finals (finalists '00, undefeated champions '01), as well as three league titles. After leading many of his Medway players to careers as college volleyball players, Blanchard has decided to return to the college coaching circuit.

Blanchard resides in Sherborn, Mass with his wife, Kaylee, and two sons, Evan and Ethan. Blanchard is also a member of the board of directors for the Central Mass Volleyball Club and has coached top ten 18s teams, as well as a top ten 16s team, for the club.