NASHUA — Yet another coach has been dismissed from Rivier University, and this one is a stunning in-season move.

The school announced today “a leadership change” for men’s volleyball, as longtime Hall of Fame head coach Craig Kolek has been relieved of his duties, which also included his job as associated athletic director.

It’s the second time in the last month that the university has fired a coach in-season. Women’s ice hockey coach Chris Czarnota was let go with two weeks left in the season in February. It’s the eighth coaching change, involuntary or voluntary, in the last two years at the school.

The Rivier men’s team is currently 9-10 overall, 4-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The regular season ends on April 6.

Kolek, who was inducted into the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Hall of Fame last August, has coached volleyball at the university for 27 years, 22 as the women’s head coach, several of those in which he also coached the men.

Rivier Athletic Director Jonathan Harper would not comment on the move, citing personnel issues. The school release simply says that it “has announced a change in leadership for its men’s volleyball program, effective immediately…

“The University will appoint an interim head coach in the coming days and begin a national search to fill the position (of men’s volleyball) following the 2024 campaign.”

Kolek is the first coach to reach the 400 win plateau nationally in both men’s and women’s volleyball, and has 15 conference titles combined. In 2011 he was inducted into the North Eastern Collegiate Volleyball Association Hall of Fame. He has a 514-250 record with the men’s program, and with the women, he was 445-196. He gave up the women’s job to concentrated on the men’s team and his administrative duties three years ago.

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