Volleyball Head Coach: Kris Naber
Grand Canyon University, 1991
Overall Tenure at GCU: 13th year
(193-168, .537)

In 12 years as head coach, Kris Naber has guided her teams to nearly 200 wins. She is the winningest volleyball coach in Grand Canyon University history. She enters 2007 needing just seven wins to reach that 200-mark milestone. Grand Canyon needs one win to reach 400 all-time in the program’s 26-year history.

In just her fifth year (1999) her team posted a 25-7 record, her best season since taking over in the fall of 1995. A former GCU volleyball player herself, Naber passed her former coach and predecessor Terri Smith in all-time coaching wins with a 3-0 win at Chico State on November 7, 2003.

Naber’s best run as Antelopes coach came in 1998-2000, when her teams went a combined 65-28. She has had six winning seasons in her coaching tenure, including back-to-back winning campaigns in her first two years. Naber is still in search of her first conference title. She enters 2007 seeking her first back-to-back winning season since 1999-2000.

Naber has coached several players who’ve broken records at Grand Canyon. In 2002, GCU setter Natalie Jandreau moved past Teri Tanita in career assists. By the conclusion of her senior year in 2003, Jandreau amassed 4,474 assists which is 1,676 more than Tanita, who stands second all-time. In 1999, Amber LeTarte became Grand Canyon's all-time leader in kills and digs.

As a player at Grand Canyon, Naber chalked up numerous honors for her efforts. In 1988, she recorded 1,065 assists, 481 digs and 43 service aces, helping her earn All-District honors for that season. During the 1989 campaign, she was named Grand Canyon's first volleyball All-American for the NAIA and Asics Tiger Teams. She was also selected to the All-District team, the All-Southwest Region team and earned Most Valuable Player accolades for the Rocky Mountain Association Classic and the Canyon Court Classic.

Naber can be found in several places in the Grand Canyon record books. She is ranks sixth in career assists (2,306) and seventh in career digs (996), demonstrating her expertise with both offensive and defensive skills. Naber holds the school season record for digs (515 in 1989) and is tied for first in game played (150 in 1988).

After her playing days, Naber served as a graduate assistant under former coach Terri Smith. From there, she moved on to Agua Fria High School, where her teams advanced to three state tournaments during her four-year tenure.

Naber earned her degree in Physical Education for secondary teachers from GCU in 1991. Formerly Kris Belcher, she and her husband Jon reside in Glendale with their two children, Nickolas and Shelby.

Kris Naber GCU coaching records through the years

1995       Kris Naber           21-10     .677
1996       Kris Naber           18-13     .581
1997       Kris Naber           14-19     .424
1998       Kris Naber           22-9        .709
1999       Kris Naber           25-7        .781
2000       Kris Naber           18-12     .600
2001       Kris Naber           14-15     .483
2002       Kris Naber           13-17     .433
2003       Kris Naber           11-16     .407
2004       Kris Naber           6-18        .250
2005       Kris Naber           14-18     .438
2006       Kris Naber           17-14     .548
Totals                                   193-168 .537