Following the resignation of Bruce Atkinson after five years, Winthrop has announced their next head coach in Charles “Chuck” Rey, Jr.
Rey has most recently been with Miami University (Ohio) where he served as the associate head coach. Prior to Miami, Rey was the assistant coach at Winthrop from 2009 to 2012 which included a 20-win season in 2011 and coaching two Big South Conference Players of the Year. Before his first stint at Winthrop, Rey was an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota and Georgia Southern University.
Winthrop posted an 84-74 record over the past five seasons under Atkinson including an 18-14 2017 record.
Rey helped Miami to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure with the team following the Redbirds winning the 2016 and 2017 Mid-American Conference championships along with four 20-win seasons. In their first round match of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Miami was downed in three sets by a strong Baylor squad.
“I am honored to return home. Home to South Carolina where I started my coaching career at a small high school and junior club and home to Winthrop University where the foundation of my coaching philosophy developed,” said Rey in an official statement from Winthrop. “I have been humbled at the outcry of support from Winthrop Volleyball alumnae, Winthrop staff and the Rock Hill community through this process. Getting to know and learn of Dr. Halpin’s vision, leadership and drive along with the guidance of Dr. [Renae] Myles, it became obviously clear that Winthrop University is where my family and I are supposed to encourage and empower the lives of young women, continuing along the path Dr. David Bancroft Johnson set out many years ago.”
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