ROLLA, Mo. – Ryan Thompson, who has spent the last two years as an assistant coach for Missouri S&T's volleyball programs, has been elevated to the head coaching position for the Miner men's volleyball program effective immediately. 

Thompson joined the athletic department in the fall of 2021 and has assisted Andy Halaz in coaching the women's team during the last two seasons and the men's team during their inaugural season last spring.  Moving forward, Halaz will continue to serve as the head coach of the S&T women's team and as the assistant coach for the men's program.

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Melissa Ringhausen for giving me the opportunity to lead our men's volleyball program," Thompson said. "I am grateful to take this next step in my career here at Missouri S&T.  I would also like to thank Andy Halaz for providing such great guidance and leadership as we have built the program over the past two years. I believe the program has a bright future and I am excited to see what we can accomplish."

"Ryan has played an instrumental role in setting the vision and mission for the men's volleyball program.  He has connected with the student-athletes and demonstrated his ability to develop them on and off the court," said Missouri S&T Director of Athletics. "We are excited to elevate him into this new role and I am confident he will continue to build and lead a team of high quality and high character."

Thompson has helped guide S&T's teams to winning seasons in all three campaigns, as the Miners went 12-9 in their first men's season in 2023 and the women's team had records of 19-11 in 2021 and 16-9 last year.

He has experience as a head coach at the collegiate level, serving as in that at NCAA Division III Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio for four seasons. During his time with the Tigers, Thompson recorded 44 wins, including a 21-11 mark in 2019 en route to the program's first-ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference regular-season title with an 11-3 record in league play.
 
Thompson coached Dominic Melchiorre to 2020 AMCC Newcomer of the Year honors, along with two more All-AMCC honorees in Jackson Tyler (First Team), along with Noah Wissel and Fred Halper (Second Team). Thompson also led a trio of All-AMCC award winners in 2019, which included Isaiah Brock, Ashton Sellers, and Deion Woodson. During his time at Wittenberg, the Tigers also recorded multiple All-Academic awards winners.
 
Prior to his time at Wittenberg, Thompson served as an assistant coach at Carthage College and was part of a program that won four regular-season conference championship, two conference tournaments and was selected to go to the NCAA Men's Div. III Championships twice. In 2014, the team reached the Final Four, and in 2016, the team made it to the Elite Eight.
 
In addition to coaching at Carthage, Thompson spent time building the Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club's boys program from the ground up. In 2016, he coached the Milwaukee Sting 18-Gold team to a fifth-place finish in the Open Division at the Boys Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas. The previous year, he led the Milwaukee Sting 17-Gold team to a fifth-place finish in the Open Division at nationals in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Thompson spent eight years at West Allis Lightning as a boys coach for teams of various age levels, all of which qualified for the Open Division of Boys Junior Nationals. In 2007, his team finished fifth in 15 Open, in 2013, his team finished third in 15 Open and in 2014, his team finished ninth in 16 Open. Thompson has had five athletes named to the USAV All-Tournament team, three athletes named Fab 50 by Volleyball Magazine, three athletes named to the U.S. Men's Junior National Team, and two athletes named to the U.S. Boys Youth National Team.
 
During the 2015 NCAA Women's Division I Volleyball Season, Thompson served as a volunteer assistant coach at Marquette University, a team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth year in a row under head coach Ryan Theis.
 
A native of Elk Grove, Ill., Thompson is a Carthage College alum who played for the men's team from 2004-2007. In both 2005 and 2007, his team finished runner-up at the Molten Division III National Championships (as it was known before 2012). While at Carthage, Thompson's team won the 2004 NIRSA Division II championship for college club teams in Charlotte, N.C.