POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Vassar College Director of Athletics and Physical Education Michelle Walsh has announced the hiring of Tyler Blank as the new Head Women's Volleyball Coach. Blank will join the Brewers following a three-year stint as the Head Coach at Manhattanville.
Blank was hired as the Valiants Head Coach in April of 2022 and has led the women's team to three straight Skyline Conference titles and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. During his tenure, Blank has mentored 12 All-Conference selections, including two conference Players of the Year, one Libero of the Year and one Rookie of the Year. Blank was also named the Skyline Coach of the Year in 2023.
"It is my pleasure to announce Tyler Blank as the next head coach for our women's volleyball program," said Walsh. "Tyler has already had tremendous success in his coaching career, winning three consecutive conference championships in his first three years as a Division III head women's volleyball coach. Beyond the Xs and Os, Tyler has demonstrated a clear commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes both on and off the court. I am excited for the future of the women's volleyball program under his leadership."
Blank has also been at the helm of the first two seasons of the Manhattanville men's volleyball program that took to the court for the first time in 2024. The Valiants went 13-17 in the inaugural campaign and finished 9-9 in Skyline competition, earning a postseason berth to the Skyline Quarterfinals. Blank captured the program's first-ever postseason victory in the Skyline Conference Championship First Round and developed the first two All-Conference selections in program history.
"I am incredibly honored and excited to join the Vassar College community as Head Coach for Women's Volleyball," stated Blank. "This is a special opportunity to lead a program that values academic excellence, inclusivity, and student athlete development. I am excited to usher in a new era of Vassar volleyball and am looking forward to building a strong, competitive culture that reflects everything that Vassar embodies. From the start, it felt like a place I could make a real impact on and off the court and can't wait to get started."
Blank came to Manhattanville following five seasons with the Nazareth Golden Flyers. Blank's coaching journey in Rochester began in the fall of 2017 as assistant coach for both of Nazareth's men's and women's volleyball teams. Over the following three seasons, Blank was responsible for both group and individual training with the teams' student-athletes. In 2018, the Golden Flyers women's team won the Empire 8 Conference Championship in Blank's second season with the team. The Nazareth women would go on to play in the conference championship in each season Blank was on staff.
In August 2020, Blank was elevated to the position of Associate Head Coach for both teams, becoming more involved with the day-to-day operations of the team. While taking a more intensive role in the development of practices and game plans, Blank was responsible for both team's budgets, recruiting and scheduling.
Concurrently with his positions with Nazareth, Blank served as the head coach for the Rochester Volleyball Club since November 2017. With the team, Blank oversaw practice planning for individual sets and the team as a whole for the 18U team. He also had the opportunity to work with athletes of all positions and age groups through individual training sessions.
A graduate of Rivier University, Blank was a standout for the Raiders' men's volleyball team for four seasons. Blank was a four-year starter with Rivier, earning 2014 GNAC Rookie of the Year honors in his first season with the Raiders. In 2016, Blank led all of Division III in assists per set with a mark of 11.31. Blank would also earn AVCA Player of the Week honors during his 2016 campaign. He earned his Bachelor of Science for Rivier in 2016 before earning his Masters of Business Administration in 2017.