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Diego Castaneda, begining his first year with the Mean Green, brings a wealth of volleyball experience to the table after spending the past six seasons rising through the ranks at Baylor.
Castaneda will work with the Mean Green’s middle blockers, as well as recruiting, DataVolley and video scouting systems.
Previewing his coaching prowess over the summer, Castaneda was an assistant coach for the USA A2 Blue squad that won the Women’s Open Division title at the 2011 USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Dallas.
A native of Bogota, Colombia, Castaneda was responsible for Baylor’s team statistics, facilities preparation and many other facets of the program’s day-to-day operations. He served two seasons as the program’s graduate assistant coach, helping the Bears advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2009.
“I’ve known Diego for several years, and from a loyalty factor I couldn’t ask for a better person to work with,” Murczek said. “His expertise behind the scenes at Baylor make him a perfect fit here at North Texas, and I can’t wait to watch him blossom as a coach.”
Deeply rooted in the Texas club volleyball scene, Castaneda was the head coach of the Waco Ultimate Volleyball Academy. He has experience officiating and coaching at the club level statewide, and has helped run several camps in both Waco and Houston. He was also the head coach for the men’s club volleyball team, leading the Bears to a fifth place finish at the national tournament.
“I am very excited about joining the staff at the University of North Texas,” Castaneda said. “I want to thank coach Murczek for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and taking North Texas volleyball to new heights.”
Castaneda earned his bachelor’s degree in international business from Baylor in 2008, and graduated with his masters of sports management in December of 2010. As an undergraduate, he served three seasons as the Bears’ team manager.
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