Rob Thomas enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Robert Morris University women’s volleyball team. Since Thomas’s arrival at RMU, he has had winning seasons every year, boasting an average of just under 20 victories a season and seven league wins each season.  In the past five years, he has compiled an impressive 42-6 league record and a 116-71 overall record, which makes him the all-time win leader at Robert Morris.

Under Thomas’s guidance, the Colonials finished last season with a flawless 8-0 Northeast Conference record and a 19-10 overall record. The perfect NEC record gave the Colonials their first regular-season league title since 2004 and earned Thomas his second NEC Coach of the Year honor.

With Thomas at the helm over the past six seasons, the RMU women’s volleyball team has earned one NEC Tournament title and three NEC regular-season titles.  The team also made an NCAA appearance in 2003 and has competed in the Northeast Conference championship match in five out of the six years Thomas has coached the Colonials.  He has coached one NEC Player of the Year, three NEC Rookies of the Year, two NEC Setters of the Year and one NEC Tournament MVP.  In addition, he has produced 11 All-NEC First Team honorees, 10 All-NEC Second Team members and has been named NEC Coach of the Year both in 2004 and 2008.

Thomas’ expertise and guidance brought success to the Robert Morris volleyball program from his very first season as head coach. In 2003, Thomas led the Colonials to their fifth straight Northeast Conference championship and fifth consecutive NCAA appearance, where the team faced off against Penn State. Thomas’ team ended the 2003 season with an unblemished 8-0 mark in league action and a 23-12 overall record.

In his second season, Thomas directed the Colonials to another undefeated conference record and a 23-9 overall record to earn their fifth overall regular-season title, while also earning his first NEC Coach of the Year award.  Despite the team’s tremendous regular season, Long Island dethroned the Colonials five-year reign as NEC champions in the title game of the 2004 NEC Tournament. 

In 2005, Thomas steered his team to a 7-1 conference record, marking his first NEC regular season loss.  RMU ended the season with a 16-13 overall record, falling to Long Island in the NEC Tournament championship match.  In 2006 and 2007, Thomas saw almost identical results. In 2006, his team finished with a 17-16 overall record, a 5-3 NEC record and a loss in the conference championship match against Long Island and in 2007 the Colonials ended the season with an 18-11 overall record, a 6-2 NEC record and ended the season with its fourth consecutive loss to Long Island in the NEC championship match.  

Thomas’ success in volleyball began long before arriving at Robert Morris in 2003.  His career started out west at Division III University of California-San Diego, where he acted as the top women’s and men’s assistant coach from 1996-98.  During this time, he helped lead the Triton women to a Division III National Championship in 1997 and guided the men’s squad to the Division III Men’s Volleyball Final Four, also in 1997. 

Following his time at the University of California-San Diego, Thomas worked as an assistant at the University of Memphis from 1998-2000.  One of his primary responsibilities was to act as the volleyball recruiting coordinator.  His biggest success at Memphis was in 1998, when the Tigers appeared in the Conference USA Tournament quarterfinals after defeating regionally-ranked University of Houston. 

His final stint before making his way to Robert Morris was working as the top assistant for the University of South Alabama’s women’s volleyball team.  His duties at South Alabama included serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator and developing the outside hitters and middle blockers.  In 2002, Thomas helped develop five Jaguars who were named to the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List and two who were named to the Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll.

Thomas received his Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental social science in 1994 from San Diego State University. He currently resides in Sewickley, Pa.