Grand Valley State Volleyball Camps
Coaching Staff
Jason Johnson
Assistant Coach
Jason Johnson has spent 13 seasons with the Grand Valley State volleyball program, including 10 years as a full-time assistant with the Lakers. Johnson was named the associate head coach after helping guide the 2005 Lakers to the school's first-ever Division II National Championship title.
Grand Valley State has tallied a 372-104 (.782) overall record in the 13 seasons Johnson has been with the team. He has helped guide the Lakers to six 30+ win years and a winning record in every season he has been associated with the program. Johnson has been a part of seven GVSU teams that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, five squads that went to the NCAA Final Four, and the 2005 Division II National Championship team.
Before coming to Grand Valley State, Johnson was the head volleyball coach at Allendale High School for six years, leading the Falcons to a district championship in 1997 and a conference championship in 1999.
He was an assistant coach at Kalamazoo Valley Community College from 1993 to 1995. Johnson has been a volunteer coach with many area youth volleyball programs, including Inside-Out Club 18's, USA Michigan Kent 18's and Sports Performance Volleyball Camps.
Johnson competed in track and cross country at Portage Central High School. He graduated from Grand Valley State in December 1998 with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Health Sciences and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Public Administration at GVSU.
Jason and his wife Brandy were married on June 14, 2003. The couple has a son, Noah (6), and a daughter, Rylie (3).
Brian Netzler
Assistant Coach
Brian Netzler is entering his fourth year on the coaching staff at Grand Valley State. In the past three seasons, GVSU is 56-33 (.629) with a conference record of 39-15 (.722). During Netzler's time at GVSU, the Lakers have advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice, earned an NCAA Elite Eight berth in 2010, and won the 2010 GLIAC North Division title.
In 2011, Grand Valley State went 14-13 for its 19th consecutive winning season. The Lakers were 11-8 in GLIAC play and advanced to the GLIAC Tournament.
The Lakers went 26-7 in 2010 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight after winning the Midwest Regional championship in a thrilling 3-2 win over Indianapolis. Grand Valley State fell to Tampa, the eventual national runner-up, but closed out a terrific year that saw GVSU tally a 17-2 record in GLIAC play and capture the GLIAC North Division title for the second time in the last three years.
In 2009, the Lakers finished with a winning record (16-13) for the 17th consecutive season, as GVSU went 11-5 in the GLIAC, placing second in the North Division. Grand Valley State advanced to the GLIAC Tournament and earned a berth in the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament for the 10th straight year.
Netzler came to GVSU after coaching at Grand Rapids Community College in 2008. He helped lead the team to a perfect record (13-0) in conference play and the second regional title in school history. GRCC finished 10th in the country at the NJCAA National Tournament. Netzler helped train three all-region players, including GRCC's first-ever All-American.
He also works at the Michigan Volleyball Academy, where he is the private lesson coordinator and creates practice plans and oversees practices for the 12 to 17 year-old teams. Netzler also coached the MVA 15-Black team to a JVDA National Championship in the spring of 2010. Ha also has been a coach at Fruitport, Forest Hills Northern, and Mona Shores high schools.
