JJ Van Niel | Head Volleyball Coach, Arizona State Univ. | "Coach Like a CEO"

Mar 23, 2026

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JJ Van Niel’s path to becoming one of the top coaches in college volleyball is anything, but conventional.

After spending more than a decade in the financial world (including investment banking and hedge funds), Van Niel made the leap into coaching, bringing with him a unique lens on leadership, systems, and performance. Today, he is the head coach at Arizona State University, where he has quickly transformed the program into a national contender.

In his first three seasons, Van Niel has led the Sun Devils to back-to-back Big 12 Championships (which are the only conference titles in program history), while earning Conference Coach of the Year honors each year. His teams have set program records for winning percentage, produced multiple All-Americans, and made deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, including regional semifinal appearances.

Before Arizona State, Van Niel was an associate head coach at USC, helping guide the Trojans to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and previously served at Utah during one of the most successful stretches in program history. He has also contributed to the U.S. Women’s National Team, supporting Olympic and World Championship preparation through scouting and analytics.

This conversation explores the journey behind his success and how JJ’s unconventional background continues to shape the way he leads, builds teams, and develops people.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:
[5:21] — Transition from Finance to Coaching

[11:03] — Coaching Like A CEO

[16:30] — Building a Complementary Staff

[27:15] — Learning From Hiring Mistakes

[31:13] — Intentionally Building Relationships

[38:10] — Weekly Performance Check-Ins

[40:52] — The Core 4 Pillars for ASU's Program

[48:32] — Growing as a Coach

[55:37] — The Courage to Pivot to Coaching

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