MANKATO, MN – Bethany Lutheran College has announced that John Olmanson is stepping down from the head volleyball coaching position he's held for the past 10 seasons. During that time, the Vikings posted a 78-175 overall record. Olmanson coached 17 All-Conference players including four First Team award winners.
 
"We thank Coach Olmanson for all he's done throughout the past decade for Bethany Lutheran College volleyball," said Bethany Co-Athletic Director Pat Garvin. "John's teams always competed with Bethany's mission at the forefront and represented the College in a positive manner. The players he recruited were top-notch student athletes on and off the court."
 
Garvin continued, "We're excited for the future of Viking Volleyball and are looking forward to finding the right person to lead the program."  
 
The Bethany volleyball team finished the 2022 season with an 8-18 mark and a fourth place finish in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). They were defeated in the UMAC conference tournament by University of Northwestern (St. Paul) who reached the NCAA DIII Final Four and ended their season ranked third in the nation.
 
"This has been on my mind for a while, and I've spent time in prayer and talking with my family considering the decision," said Olmanson. "It's both a happy and sad scenario for me. The timing is right, as I'm looking forward to developing business interests that I'm involved with, and especially the opportunity to spend more time with family."

Olmanson continued, "This will be an adjustment for both myself and the players. I wish them the best as I believe they're poised for success with the young, talented roster we have in place. I have all the confidence in Bethany's leadership to find the next Viking Volleyball coach, and I will enjoy watching the team as they look to achieve new successes going forward."

A search for a new volleyball coach will begin immediately.