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Rob Browning enters his 17th season as the head women's volleyball coach at Saint Mary's in the 2021-22 school year.

Browning is the longest tenured and winningest coach in Saint Mary's Volleyball history. He has led the Gaels to five NCAA tournament appearances (2005, '08, '09, '12, '18) and its only West Coast Conference Championship in 2009. In addition to his duties as head indoor coach, he established beach volleyball as SMC's 17th intercollegiate sport in 2013. Browning now oversees both programs.

In the 2018-19 seasons Saint Mary's indoor and beach teams went 19-10 and 20-9 respectively. Saint Mary's #1 beach pair of Lindsey Knudsen and Sarah Chase were voted as the WCC Beach Pair of the Year. In 2016 and 2017, Saint Mary's received four West Coast Conference Player-of-the-Year honors in beach volleyball. In 2016 Saint Mary's swept the awards with Dalas Dodd as WCC Player of the Year, Mary Hernandez as Defensive Player of the Year, and Lindsey Knudsen as Freshman of the Year, and Knudsen again being honored as the 2017 WCC Defensive Player of the Year. Saint Mary's has had 19 all-WCC award winners in beach the past four seasons (2016-19).

In addition to five NCAA tournament appearances in indoor volleyball Browning led the 2009 Gaels to the program's first-ever WCC Championship. Saint Mary's dominated the WCC, leading the conference in every statistical category. SMC was tops in hitting percentage (.296), opponents hitting percentage (.174), assists per set (13.77), digs per set (15.55), kills per set (14.72), blocks per set (2.76), and service aces per set (1.40). The 2009 team defeated UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Stanford 13-15 in the 5th set in the second round. In the 2012 NCAA tournament Saint Mary's beat San Diego State in the first round before losing to host USC in the second round.

Browning was hired as the eighth head women's volleyball coach in the program's 28-year history on March 23, 2005. His teams have become known not only as quality competitors on the court but also well known for their abilities in the classroom. Saint Mary's volleyball routinely ranks among the athletic department's best in terms of team GPA and the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2020-21 teams earned the AVCA Team Academic award.

Four current NCAA DI Women’s Volleyball head coaches got their start with Browning at Saint Mary’s: Keegan Cook at Washington; Brent Crouch at Auburn; Sam Crosson at Cal; and most recently, Megan Burton—former Gael volleyball student-athlete and volunteer assistant coach—who is the new head coach at WCC rival University of Portland. Another former assistant coach, Carlos Moreno, is the Associate Head Coach at Arizona State.

Browning was an assistant coach for the USA Men's National Team under Doug Beal for six years prior to joining Saint Mary's. He has been to four Olympic Games with the USA men's team: 2000 in Sydney, 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing (where the team won the gold medal), and 2012 in London. He coached the USA Women's National Team at the 2019 Pan Am Cup (gold medal) and 2019 Pan Am Games. He also coached the USA Women's Junior National Team to the NORCECA Championship in 2010 and to a 4th place finish at the Junior World Championships in Peru in 2011.

Prior to assisting the men's national team, Browning served as a volunteer assistant on the BYU men's volleyball team for three years, culminating in BYU's first NCAA National Championship in 1999. Browning was fortunate to learn from the legendary Carl McGown, Hugh McCutcheon, and Troy Tanner on that coaching staff.

A native of Newport Beach, Calif., Browning earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Translation with a Minor in International Relations from BYU in 1990. He played volleyball at BYU from 1987 to 1989. Browning graduated from Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, where he lettered in volleyball for two years and was named a 1984 Orange County All-Star.

Browning has been married to Michelle Perez since July, 1989. They have two children, Madison and John.

The Browning File:

2018/2012/2009/2008/2005 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2009 West Coast Conference Champions

2009 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year

2009 AVCA Division I Pacific Region Coach of the Year

2013 AVCA All Americans Jordan Shaw and Kristina Graven

2009 Defensive Player of the Year (Alita Fisher)

2007 WCC Freshman of the Year (Megan York)

1st Team All WCC Selections: Kaui Salzman, Mandy Bible, Christina Kirk, Missie Stidham, Megan York, Megan Burton, Kapua Kamana'o, Shannon Lowell, Alita Fisher, Lauren Corp, Gabby Jolly, Jordan Shaw, Missy White, Kristina Graven, Dalas Dodd, Lindsey Knudsen.

27 WCC All-Academic Awards (more than any other WCC team)

107-68 overall Beach record. 85-47 the past five years

27 WCC Beach All-Academic Awards (more than any other WCC team)

2019 WCC Beach Pair of the Year (Lindsey Knudsen/ Sarah Chase)

2017 WCC Beach Defensive Player of the Year (Lindsey Knudsen)

2016 WCC Beach Player of the Year (Dalas Dodd)

2016 WCC Beach Defensive Player of the Year (Mary Hernandez)

2016 WCC Beach Freshman of the Year (Lindsey Knudsen)

Olympic Experience

• 2008 Olympic Games (Gold medal)
• 2004 Olympic Games (4th place)

World Championship Experience

• 2006 World Championship (10th place)

Coaching Experience

• Directed Boys Volleyball club with 5 teams and 100 player 2010-2012 GGVB prior to rejoining National team in 2012 ahead of London Olympics
• Coached Womens at Synergy Force in 2013/2014 17-1 Gold, Nor Cal Champions NCVA (Matt pls confirm?)
• Coached American River College Womens team 2015/2016 Season.
• Has Lead Several USA Volleyball High Performance Camps both Regionally and throughout the USA 2008-2012.

Professional Experience

• Member USA Volleyball Board of Directors 2012-2016 (Mens Volleyball Representative to the BOD)
• Representative for all volleyball players to the United States Athletes Advisory Council (AAC) 2008-2016
• Current Board Member United State Olympic and Paralymic Endowment 2012-Present. Represents all Olympic and Paralympic Athletes on this board.

Other Career Highlights

• MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 2012: FIVB World League (Silver Medal).
• 2012: Was an alternate on the 2012 U.S. Olympic men's volleyball team
• 2012: Competed in seven World League sets, scoring seven points on seven kills.
• 2011: FIVB World League.
• 2011: Part of the 2011 FIVB World League preliminary roster. He played 10 sets in four matches in Poland and Puerto Rico and did not score.
• 2008: Olympic Games (Gold Medal)
• 2008: FIVB World League (Gold Medal)
• 2008: Four Nations' Tournament (Gold Medal)
• 2008: NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal).
• 2008: Finished the 2008 season with 134 kills in 42 sets played (3.19 kills per set). Had a hitting percentage of 0.40. Gabe averaged .12 aces per set, .45 blocks per set and 1.17 digs per set
• 2008: Finished the 2008 Olympic Games with a gold medal and played in matches against China and Japan
• 2008: Helped the U.S. Men win a gold medal at the FIVB World League. Scored 65 points in pool play with 55 kills, eight blocks and two aces
• 2008: Helped the U.S. Men to a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament on May 11-13 in Germany
• 2008: Helped the U.S. Men win to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
• 2007: FIVB World Cup
• 2007: NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)
• 2007: FIVB World League (Bronze Medal).
• 2007: Moved from outside hitter to opposite at the start of the 2007 season and adjusted well
• 2007: Finished the season as the team's fourth-leading scorer with 329 points. He averaged 3.82 points per set. Averaged 3.27 kills per set
• 2007: Was the United States' second-leading scorer and 18th overall at the FIVB World Cup where the U.S. Men finished fourth. Finished with 118 points on 101 kills, 12 blocks and five aces. His 101 kills was second best for the U.S. Men. Gabe was the leading scorer in three World Cup matches for the U.S. Men, including the final match agaainst Russia, in which he scored 21 points as the U.S. Men lost in five sets
• 2007: Was the United States' sixth-leading scorer of the NORCECA Continental Championship, where he shared time at opposite with Clay Stanley. Gabe finished with 27 points on 24 kills, one block and two aces
• 2007: Gabe Was the United States' leading "spiker", and third overall, in World League pool play and was credited with a success percentage of 62.23. In the final round, he was credited with a 55.84 percent success rate, which was the best among the U.S. players and fourth overall. He was also the team's second-leading scorer in both pool play and the final round.
• 2006: – Competed in the FIVB World League where the U.S. Men finished tied for 10th
• 2006: Gabe helped the win the Argentina series 4-1.
• 2005: FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal).
• 2004: NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)
• 2004: Japan Tour
• 2004: Houston Series
• 2004: USA Global Challenge (Gold Medal)
• 2004: Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Silver Medal)
• 2004: Olympic Games (Fourth Place).
• 2004: – Gabe made his first-ever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall
• 2004: Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10
• 2004: he men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match
• 2004: Scored 10 points on nine kills and one service ace in the championship match.
• 2003: – Colorado/Nebraska Tour
• 2003: Canada Tour
• 2003: Pan American Games (Fourth Place)
• 2003: World Cup (Fourth Place).
• 2002: – Dallas Tour
• 2002: Six-Nation Tournament (Italy)
• 2002: Louisville Tour.