Ed Garza joined the Austin College staff in August of 1996, when he became the Kangaroos’ fifth all-time head volleyball coach. Garza is currently the 25th winningest active coach and 29th in all time wins at the NCAA Division III level. He has guided Austin College to six appearances in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, advancing to the “sweet 16” round in 2005. His Collegiate record now stands 548-218 (.715 – winning percentage) and a home record of 198-37 (.843 – winning percentage).
Since 2002 Austin College has been ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation in a weekly poll conducted by the AVCA numerous times. While a member of the American Southwest Conference, the Kangaroos finished first or second in eight of his ten campaigns and in 2005 Austin College won the conference tournament in their last year in the conference.
In 2007 the Kangaroos advanced to the championship match of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament in its second season in the conference. The team finished the season ranked No. 14 in the nation and won a program record 38 matches. Garza has coached one First Team All-American, three Second Team All-Americans, and six Honorable Mention All-Americans as well as two freshmen of the Year honorees in the AVCA South Region.
Garza has also coached three AVCA National Players of the Week, three GTE Academic All-American Team members, two ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Team members, and 72 players who have made All-Conference in the last 19 years. Coach Garza was a seven time Coach of the Year in the ASC, and in 2007 was named Coach of the year in the SCAC. Before Austin College he served as head coach at North Lake College for two years. Garza also served as an assistant coach at Henderson State University in 1989-90, and was an assistant at his alma mater Ouachita Baptist University from 1986-1989.
Garza was co-founder of Dallas Summit VBC in 1993, Dallas Premier VBC in 2005 and Nortex VBC in 2010. As a club coach, he has qualified two Open teams, eight American teams, and seven national teams to the USA Junior Girls National Championships Tournament in the last 23 years. Garza is Cap II Certified.
He is also the Director of High Intensity Volleyball Camps which caters to youth age 10 -18 years old. A graduate of Falfurrias High School in Falfurrias, TX, Garza earned a B.S.E. degree in physical education from Ouachita Baptist University and MSE from Henderson State University. While at Ouachita Baptist, he lettered in track and cross country for three years.
Coach Garza’s philosophy is to provide excellent fundamental training on the skills and strategies of the game and to allow each player to fulfill their maximum potential through hard work and dedication while assist in building character and developing habits and attitudes which helps the athletes succeed in all areas of life. Along with each athlete achieving confidence, sportsmanship, teamwork and fundamentally sound volleyball skills and a deep understanding of the intricacies of the game.