Volleyball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Cothran, 36, with more than 15 years experience in coaching and athletic administration, is in his second coaching association with MSU head coach Tina Seals.
At Mississippi State Cothran oversees individual skill development and serves as MSU’s national recruiting coordinator. On the court Cothran serves as the coordinator of MSU’s offense, working with outside hitters. Off the court he is the primary staff liaison with the office of athletic academics and assists with the operations of the MSU volleyball camps.
He previously served for four years (2000 to 2003) as an assistant coach on Seals’ staff at Northwest-Shoals (Ala.) Community College. At NW-Shoals he helped guide the Patriots to four consecutive NJCAA Region XXII volleyball championships while posting a 162-34 combined regular season record over the four-year span.
He served from 2001 until 2003 as volleyball commissioner at the Alabama Sports Festival in Mobile, Ala. Over the past eight years Cothran has been active on the volleyball camp circuit, serving as a camp coach or clinician at more than 80 volleyball camps and clinics in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia and Texas.
Prior to joining Tina Seals’ coaching staff at Northwest-Shoals, Cothran launched his coaching career at his high school alma mater in Centre, Ala., Cherokee County High School. There he served as assistant volleyball coach from 1997 to 1999, helping CCHS to three straight Elite Eight and state top five finishes, and as an assistant basketball coach in 1999 and 2000.
He served as president of the Shorter College club volleyball team in Rome, Ga., (1990 to 1993) and coached teams in both Jacksonville, Ala. (1998) and Muscle Shoals, Ala. (2003). He worked in a variety of capacities with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rome, Ga. (1991 to 1996, 1998) and in Gainesville, Ga. (1996-97). In recognition of his work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, he was selected as an Olympic Torchbearer prior to the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta. He served as the executive director of the summer youth program in Centre, Ala., in 1999.
Cothran earned a bachelor of science degree in general studies at Shorter College in 2001. Since leaving Northwest-Shoals, Cothran worked as an individual trainer for volleyball players in the Muscle Shoals area, developed and conducted team and individual volleyball camps and launched two new club volleyball teams in Northern Alabama.
He is married to the former Melissa Lehman of Wadesville, Ind., and they are the parents of a daughter, Elena "Ellie" Camille, born April 1, 2006.
Playing Experience
- Club Volleyball, Shorter College (1990-93)
Coaching Experience
- 1990-93, Coach, Shorter College Club Volleyball Team
- 1993, Student Assistant, Shorter College Women's Basketball
- 1997-99, Assistant Volleyball Coach, Cherokee County [AL] HS
- 1999-2000, Assistant Basketball Coach, Cherokee County [AL] HS
- 1998, Assistant Coach, Cheaha Juniors Volleyball Club {Jacksonville, AL]
- 1998-2000, Girls Coach, AAU Basketball [Centre, AL]
- 2000, Boys Coach, AAU Basketball [Centre, AL]
- 2000-03, Assistant Volleyball Coach, Northwest-Shoals [AL] CC
- 2005-present, Assistant Volleyball Coach, Mississippi State University
