CHRIS TAMAS
Assistant Coach / 1st Season / Pacific (2003)
Chris Tamas (pronounced Thomas) joined the
Nebraska volleyball staff as an assistant coach in May
2015. He came to the Huskers from Cal Poly along with
his wife, Jennifer (Joines) Tamas, who is a volunteer
assistant for NU. Chris was the assistant coach and
recruiting coordinator at Cal Poly from 2013-14.
Tamas is a former U.S. Men’s National Team captain
and has Big Ten experience after spending two years
as an assistant at Minnesota. He primarily oversees
Nebraska’s middle blockers, coordinates blocking
defense and scouting reports and assists in recruiting.
At Nebraska
» Assistant Coach (2015-present)
Other Coaching Experience
» Assistant Coach, Cal Poly (2013-14)
» Assistant Coach, Minnesota (2011-12)
» Assistant Coach, UC Riverside (2009-10)
Education
» University of Pacific (2003)
Bachelor’s Degree, Sports Sciences
Other Coaching Experience
In Tamas’ first season at Cal Poly in 2013, the
Mustangs posted an eight-win improvement over
2012. Tamas’ seven-player recruiting class in 2014 was
ranked 23rd nationally by PrepVolleyball.com, and the
Mustangs’ top hitter, setter and blocker in 2014 were all
freshmen, including Big West Conference All-Freshman
Team member Raeann Greisen (3.55 kills per set). The
Mustangs regularly started five of the seven freshmen
Tamas helped recruit.
As an assistant coach at Minnesota from 2011 to
2012, he helped lead the Golden Gophers to an NCAA
Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 2011 and an Elite
Eight showing in 2012. In addition to scouting, Tamas
was tasked with training Minnesota’s setters, and the
Golden Gophers finished the 2012 season with the
Big Ten Conference’s top offense and ranked eighth
nationally in kills per set. With Minnesota, Tamas worked
under Hugh McCutcheon, who directed the U.S. Men’s
National Team to a gold medal at the 2008 Summer
Olympics and the U.S. women’s team to a silver medal
in 2012. Prior to his time with Minnesota, Tamas spent
the 2009 and 2010 seasons at UC Riverside under 2008
Olympic assistant coach Ron Larsen.
Playing Experience
Tamas was a 2003 graduate of Pacific with a degree
in sports sciences. He was a four-year starter for the
Tigers and a unanimous AVCA All-America first-team
selection and team Most Valuable Player during his
2003 senior season, Tamas remains first in program
history in assists (5,086), third in assists per set (13.46),
fourth in service aces (84), 10th in digs (498) and 14th
in total blocks (221). In four years with the U.S. Men’s
National Team (1999, 2003, 2005, 2006), Tamas made
34 appearances. In 1999, he helped the squad to a silver
medal at the World Junior Championships in Havana. As
national team captain in 2003, Tamas helped lead the
United States to a bronze medal at the World University
Games in Daegu, South Korea.
A training camp invitee for the U.S. squad that
eventually captured the 2008 Olympic gold medal,
Tamas also helped U.S. sides to silver at the #Rv