Bob Crank is entering his second season as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Redhawks.
During the 2017 campaign, Crank coached the middle blockers, setters, and the team’s blocking system. With his help the Redhawks improved from 1.6 blocks per-set to 2.3, and from 185 total blocks to 269.5 from a year ago. That improvement steered the Redhawks to the top of the OVC in blocking in 2017. With his mentorship, the Redhawks setters upgraded the team’s overall hitting percentage, as did the middle blockers. Nzingha Clarke had career highs in; hitting percentage, total blocks, and blocks-per-set. She was also nationally ranked in those three categories, and was selected as a First Team All-OVC performer. With the addition of a new assistant coach to the staff, Crank will shift roles this season to coach the entire defense and serve receive systems.Â
Crank came to Southeast after serving as the head coach for four seasons at Quincy University, in Quincy, IL. Crank successfully turned the program around after a 9-21 inaugural season to finish the 2016 campaign 16-15, the program’s best performance in nine years, and qualified for the GLVC Championship Tournament for only the 6thtime program history. During his tenure at Quincy, he surpassed 115 career wins, mentored two players to All-GLVC Team honors, and for the first time in program history had a player earn Defensive Player of the Week accolades. While under Crank’s direction, seven players now hold twelve different Top-5 statistical records at QU. He has also coached three middle blockers to national rankings as Top-50 statistical performers in blocking and hitting percentage. Crank also demonstrated a great ability to revitalize recruiting, as he recruited players from eight different states to play for the Hawks.
Crank spent two seasons as the assistant coach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he primarily coached the setters and middles. He also performed in-game opponent scouting and coordinated all the blocking adjustments. While helping with the Tritons, four players were awarded All-GLVC honors, and the program qualified for the GLVC Championship Tournament both seasons.
Crank spent eight-years working with High Performance-STL Volleyball Club in St. Louis, MO coaching both girls and boys. His club coaching career culminated as the Girl’s Division Director. Crank was the first person to hold this title/position with HP, as he helped to spearhead the expansion of the club. His efforts ultimately lead to doubling the size of the girls division, and they remain one of the largest and more prominent clubs in the Gateway Region.
Crank started his college coaching career at Maryville University in St. Louis, MO. He orchestrated his first program rebuild while there, guiding the Saints from a .292 winning percentage to a .478 winning percentage in four seasons. While at the helm at Maryville, the Saints produced four top-4 conference finishes, posted 17 players to All-Conference Team honors, and he coached a total of 20 players with 45 different top-10 statistical records for the volleyball program. In 2009, Crank coached the Saints through the challenging transition from NCAA Division III to Division II.
A graduate of Missouri Baptist University, Crank was a setter on a Spartans men’s volleyball program that captured two Conference Championships. The Spartans made four consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Championship Tournament, finishing each season ranked as one of the top six teams in the country. He also notched a MAMVIC Setter of the Week honor in 2006. After completing his playing career, Crank stayed for one year as an assistant, helping the Spartans make a fifth straight NAIA National Championship Tournament appearance. Crank graduated with degrees in Sports Medicine and Sport Management.
Also a veteran; Crank concluded his military service as a Psychological Operations Team Chief, attached to the 101st Airborne Division while deployed overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004.
