January 11, 2016

Morgan tabs Franklin as seventh Carson-Newman volleyball head coach

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Dave Franklin was introduced as the seventh volleyball coach in Carson-Newman history by athletic director Allen Morgan at a press conference Monday afternoon.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Dave Franklin was introduced as the seventh volleyball coach in Carson-Newman history by athletic director Allen Morgan at a press conference Monday afternoon.

"We are looking for someone that is passionate about their job or their position," Morgan said. "I think you will hear that. We are looking for people who are committed when the times are tough and when the times are good. I think you will see that. A lot of folks would like to be sitting in the position of Dave Franklin today. It's an outstanding job to be able to mentor young women. A number of applicants, but it came down to coach Dave Franklin."

Franklin becomes a first-time head coach at the collegiate level after spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Xavier. He spent his first two years as a volunteer coach before being promoted to a full-time role in the spring of 2015.

"This is a place that I wanted to be," Franklin said. "First of all, because of these young ladies that are sitting over here. The accomplishments that they obtained under coach [Dan] Ahiers—and I have to give him his due. He has started something here and I get to come in here and keep it going. It's all because of your [players] hard work. Even coach Ahiers, he knows that. You are the ones that make this ship go. We simply guide it, but you put in the work. You guys have obviously showed the work ethic and dedication it takes to win a national championship."

The Kettering, Ohio native helped Xavier tally a 58-35 record in three years on the bench including a 36-14 mark in Big East play. Nine Musketeers were named to all-conference teams, six of which were first-team picks, during his time in Cincinnati.

In 2011-12, Franklin was on the bench at Ohio Dominican University serving as an assistant in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Carson-Newman is not Franklin's first time as a head coach as he served six seasons as a varsity coach in the Ohio high school ranks. Most recently, Lima Central Catholic High School was the stop from 2006-08 where the Thunderbirds won the 2007 Division III state championship over Albany Alexander. The Thunderbirds won three district titles and two regional titles.

"I started as a high school Biology teacher and about four or five years into that, I realized my passion lied in coaching," Franklin said. "[My wife and I] decided together that we were going to pursue college coaching. She was there for me and understood that relocation might be a part of it and that it was going to take a lot of time and effort to get there. I have to thank her because without her, I wouldn't be sitting here today. I would not have had the opportunities to go and learn under the coaches that I did and to get the experiences."

In 2008, Franklin was named the OHSVCA Division III State Coach of the Year on top of three coach of the year honors. His overall record in high school was 119-32.

As a collegiate player, Franklin was a four-year member of the men's varsity volleyball team at the University of Findlay from 2002-05. He finished his career as the program's leader in hitting percentage for the Oilers.

Franklin is married to Alisa and will also serve as the beach volleyball coach.

Carson-Newman volleyball has qualified for five trips to the Division II NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships in the last eight years. The Eagles are coming off of their most successful season of all-time winning the Southeast Region title in four sets against Lenoir-Rhyne.

The 2016 team returns three of the team's five All-SAC picks with Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Natalie Harris (Monroe, N.C.) and Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) leading a group that will returns four starters and its libero.

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