PORTLAND, Ore. – University of Portland has named Jeff Baxter, an assistant coach with the Pilots for the past two years, as the new volleyball head coach. Portland Vice President for Athletics Scott Leykam announced the hire on Wednesday. Baxter replaces Brent Crouch, who accepted the head coaching position at perennial national power USC earlier this month.
 
Baxter joined the Portland volleyball staff in the spring of 2016 and helped guide the Pilots to unprecedented heights over the last two seasons. In his first year on The Bluff, the Pilots set numerous records and reached several milestones, including a program-best third-place finish in the West Coast Conference. 

Portland also posted the first-ever wins over ranked opponents, topping No. 7 San Diego and No. 11 BYU during October of 2016. The 2016 team recorded the most overall wins (17) and the most WCC wins (10) since Portland joined the league in 1987.

Baxter brings prior head coaching experience into his new role as he served as head coach of the UP beach volleyball team last season. He also has worked with USA Women's Volleyball in various capacities.

"Jeff is ready for this opportunity," Leykam said. "He checked all of the boxes as we went through this coaching search and will continue the progress that the program has made in recent years. We wanted to maintain the team culture, hire an excellent teacher of the game, and bring in a hard-working, competitive person that understands what it takes to be successful here at Portland. Jeff has helped build the foundation of our program and now he gets to shape the next era of UP volleyball. The team and entire Athletic Department are excited for Jeff and the volleyball program."

"I want to thank Scott Leykam and Karen Peters for the opportunity to remain at UP," Baxter said. "I am thrilled to be continuing my career here on The Bluff. Being a member of the University of Portland volleyball program has truly been an honor. I am fortunate to get to continue to work with, and for, a phenomenal group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff. I look forward to the future of Portland volleyball and continuing to improve upon the past successes of our program."
 
Baxter helped compile Portland's highest ranked freshman recruiting class in history a year ago. The 2017 class was ranked in the top-55 nationally and was headed by high school All-Americans Liz Reich and Kassidy Naone. The Pilots also signed a decorated three-player 2018 class this past November.
 
Player development has been a highlight of the program's resurgence. Pilot standout Hannah Troutman was named All-WCC First Team each of the last two years, becoming the only Pilot to ever receive two first team honors. Sophomore Cali Thompson was also named to the all-freshman team in 2016, and then-senior Katie Sullivan received honorable mention.  
 
As head coach of the UP Beach Volleyball team last season, Baxter helped graduate student Tani Stephens earn All-WCC Second Team honors, while Cali Thompson landed on the league's all-freshman team.
 
Prior to joining the Pilots, Baxter spent one year on staff at Loyola Marymount and helped the Lions to an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in his lone season. He previously spent three years as a men's assistant coach at Cal State Northridge, his alma mater. The program was ranked in the Top-15 nationally in each of his years on the bench.

Baxter was a standout setter at Cal State Northridge from 2006-11 where he helped the Matadors to a NCAA Final Four appearance in 2010.