The Coaches Group Chat

Matthew Houlihan, Arielle Houlihan, Chad Gordon
  • 4.0 (5)
  • VOLLEYBALL
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Grab a drink and a seat at the table with hosts Matt Houlihan, Arielle Houlihan and Chad Gordon as we chat about the world of volleyball, coaching, business, and whatever else Arielle feels like!

  1. OCT 10

    S3E2: Volleyball Rehab, Death to #GrowTheGame, & Mid-Major Tournaments

    We recap a whirlwind women’s volleyball weekend, break down Stanford vs Louisville with real tactical detail, and lay out a case for mandatory mid-major conference tournaments. We also explain how Bay to Bay chartered flights to save families money and why “grow the game” needs to retire. • Stanford vs Louisville as a gritty benchmark for the 4–10 tier • Louisville setter as the match’s key differentiator • Stanford stronger in the middle, Louisville deeper at the pins • Santa Clara–Pepperdine detour and a St. Mary’s “volleyball rehab” vibe • Packed gym energy and what real community looks like • Why mid-major conferences should host a top-six tournament • Keeping teams alive longer, creating late-season stakes • A rebuttal to “best representative” fears with best-of-five logic • Retiring “grow the game” in favor of confident, concrete action • AVCA convention curation vs salesy sessions, and open debate • How Matt chartered planes and broke the internet with AI • AI mockups, virality, and clear messaging around real logistics • Building The Grape Man event from 10 to 100 teams

    26 min

  2. SEP 30

    S3E1: NCAA Women's Volleyball Vibe Check

    We return with a pop-up episode to track the surge in women’s volleyball—national TV windows, marquee kickoff events, and a top tier led by Nebraska and Texas—while naming sleepers that no one wants in a Sweet 16 draw. We also break down Milan’s move to UCLA and grade USA men’s first season of a youth-forward reset. • AVCA First Serve impact, ESPN and Fox spotlight • Nebraska and Texas separating, context on early undefeateds • UCLA’s transfer haul and the Penn State win • Texas practice insights, talent depth, and scheduling • Top 10 snapshot with ASU, TCU, SMU storylines • Sleeper teams that create matchup nightmares • Men’s update: Milan to UCLA and visa questions • USA men graded A- for youth and identity • Plans for an AVCA live lobby show Please let us know if you would like us to keep giving our thoughts on women (volleyball).

    27 min

  3. MAY 13

    S2E14: Natty Champs Recap, Long Beach Culture, Too Early Predictions

    Long Beach State secures another national championship with a commanding sweep over UCLA, showcasing their unparalleled team culture and championship mentality. Their "blue collar" approach and ride-or-die brotherhood has created a volleyball program where bench energy is so intense it earned yellow cards during their championship celebration. • Long Beach's first set domination, hitting nearly .800 against UCLA • Moni Nikolov's clutch serving, delivering two consecutive aces when UCLA led 20-18 in the second set • The stark contrast between UCLA's grim timeout huddle and Long Beach's electrified bench • Long Beach volleyball culture as elite, gritty, and built on intense loyalty • Post-match championship F-bomb continuing the Long Beach tradition • Way-too-early predictions for next season's contenders: Hawaii, Stanford, and USC • High school volleyball update with Open Division Championship preview Join us for season three as the podcast may be moving to a new home with some exciting changes ahead!

    32 min

  4. APR 29

    S2E13: Grand Canyon Cuts Men's Volleyball, NCAA Bracketology, VNL Roster Predictions

    Grand Canyon University has abruptly cut their men's volleyball program, effective immediately, with no advance warning to coaches or players, sending shockwaves through the volleyball community. We explore what this means for the future of men's volleyball and share insights from our personal experiences with program cuts at Stanford and University of Pacific. • Blueprint for fighting program cuts based on Stanford's successful campaign to save their program • Importance of building alumni databases and organizing coordinated responses • Strategies for fundraising through pledges rather than immediate donations • Critical timing of GCU's announcement during peak men's volleyball season • Complete NCAA tournament field breakdown and selection committee controversies • Final Four predictions with analysis of key matchups • Potential collegiate players likely to join USA Volleyball's training team this summer If your program doesn't already have a comprehensive alumni database and communication system in place, start building one today. Don't wait for an emergency announcement to begin organizing your support network.

    47 min

  5. APR 16

    S2E12: Long Beach v. Hawaii, USC Injuries, Volleyball Tariffs

    Arielle, Chad, and Matt dive into a lively discussion of recent collegiate men's volleyball action and debate the future of the game. • Hawaii splits with Long Beach State • USC battles significant injuries to key players, creating strategic challenges for upcoming matches • Conference tournament predictions across MIVA, EIVA, Big West, and MPSF • Data reveals NCAA men's volleyball is 16% international athletes • Discussion of whether international roster limits would benefit American player development • Proposal for rule changes to improve men's volleyball as a television product, including a service "foul out" rule • Brief recap of LOVB Championship results, with Austin defeating Omaha in a sweep Support our podcast by following, leaving a review, or showing off your new silver chain just like Chad.

    41 min

  6. APR 8

    S2E11: Weekend Upsets, Foreign Roster Caps, Long Beach v. Hawaii, KBB to LOVB

    The NCAA's back-to-back scheduling format deflates the impact of big upsets by forcing immediate rematches, preventing storylines from developing and limiting media coverage opportunities. • The weekend featured multiple top-5 upsets including CSUN over Hawaii, UC San Diego over UC Irvine, and GCU over UCLA • Back-to-back scheduling forces teams to play the same opponent twice in consecutive days, eliminating the buildup between matchups • The upcoming 18-man roster cap will significantly impact recruitment strategies and player movement between programs • International players dominate many starting lineups in NCAA men's volleyball, raising questions about American player development • American volleyball development lags behind European counterparts that use academy systems with more frequent, specialized training • Hawaii vs. Long Beach State this weekend is the most anticipated matchup of the regular season with major NCAA tournament implications • The coaches predict Long Beach will likely win at least one match, with Nikolov expected to excel in the high-pressure environment Join us for a potential live stream "Manning Cast" style commentary during the Hawaii vs. Long Beach matches this weekend!

    49 min

  7. APR 1

    S2E10: Long Beach v. Irvine, Peeps, and Adolescence

    We dive into men's collegiate volleyball rankings and break down the implications of Long Beach State's split with UC Irvine in what was a high-level volleyball showcase with sold-out crowds. • Clear separation exists between the "top five" teams and everyone else in men's volleyball • Long Beach maintains #1 ranking despite their loss to UC Irvine in a sold-out match • Debate over Loyola Chicago's #6 ranking after being "called out of rotation" • Discussion of whether Long Beach's loss will ultimately benefit them by relieving pressure • High school volleyball rankings from cousin Greg • Netflix's "Adolescence" recommended as essential viewing for anyone working with young men • Each episode of "Adolescence" filmed in a continuous 50-minute single shot • Comprehensive taste test of nine different Peep varieties • Classic yellow Peep crowned champion over specialty flavors like Dr. Pepper and Blue Raspberry • Cotton Candy Peeps universally condemned and "should be banned by the FDA"

    41 min

  8. MAR 25

    S2E9: We're back baby, Traitors Poll, Replay Systems, Collegiate Drama

    We make our triumphant return for Season 3 (it's actually season 2 episode 9 but it's been forever since our last episode), putting to rest any rumors about internal fighting while offering sincere apologies for the technical difficulties that prevented the release of our previous recordings. • Debating the latest Traitor's Poll rankings with special focus on CSUN vs Loyola placement • Criticizing current replay systems in college volleyball and proposing either professional-grade systems or faster decision processes • Analyzing CSUN's challenging Chicago road trip against Lewis and Loyola • Discussing the remarkable service runs that led Grand Canyon to dominate BYU • Examining attendance figures across men's volleyball with Hawaii leading at 6,400 fans per game • Highlighting Hawaii's impressive volleyball program where men's volleyball ranks second only to football in donations

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Grab a drink and a seat at the table with hosts Matt Houlihan, Arielle Houlihan and Chad Gordon as we chat about the world of volleyball, coaching, business, and whatever else Arielle feels like!

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Houlihan, Arielle Houlihan, Chad Gordon
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Coaches Group Chat
  • Show Website
    The Coaches Group Chat

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