Aug. 4, 2006

FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason's women's volleyball team will have a familiar face returning to the sidelines this season as former assistant coach and current men's head coach Fred Chao will join the team as an interim assistant coach through the 2006 season.

Chao, who served as an assistant coach with the women's program for six seasons from 1998 to 2003, rejoins Pat Kendrick's coaching staff, replacing former assistant coach Paul Koncir, who recently accepted a head coaching position with Towson University's women's volleyball program.

"I'm excited to have Fred back with the program," Kendrick said. "He's a great coach, with an innovative perspective on the game. We are all ecstatic for Paul and proud of him as he moves to the next phase in his coaching career. We feel fortunate to have an assistant coach of Fred's caliber as we move to regain prominence in the CAA."

Chao has a career record of 118-89 in eight seasons as the head coach of George Mason's men's volleyball program. Last year he led the Patriots to one of their most successful seasons ever, finishing 22-6 overall, with an 11-1 record in conference play, and a perfect 12-0 record in home matches. Mason finished the season as the No. 14 team in the nation, marking the second consecutive season the Patriots finished the year ranked among the nation's top 15.

The team achieved many milestones during its spectacular 2006 season: Chao picked up his 100th career coaching victory in the team's fourth match of the season against the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, redshirt senior opposite hitter Shaun Powell was named EIVA Player of the Year and a Division I-II First-Team All-American, five players - the most of any team in the conference - were named to the EIVA All-East First Team, two players were named to the EIVA All-Academic Team and Hudson Bates earned National Player of the Week honors for a record-setting night early in the season against the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez.

Chao is no stranger to such success. In 2001, Chao earned EIVA Coach of the Year honors after the team finished 20-7 overall and recorded their first win over EIVA-rival Penn State since Jan. 25, 1992. The team duplicated the feat last season, defeating eventual national runner-up Penn State at John Linn Memorial Gym on March 25.

During his previous tenure with the women's volleyball program, the team achieved similar success, winning the CAA Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2002 and 2003.

Mason will attempt to duplicate that success when its season kicks off on Friday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. against American in Washington, D.C. as part of the The D.C. Volleyball Challenge, which includes Georgetown and George Washington in addition to American and George Mason.