Ray Batalon was named Academy of Art University women's volleyball head coach in July 2015 after completing his first season as associate head coach in 2014.
Year four for Batalon had ART U post a 6-21 overall record and take 13th in the PacWest Conference standings. The Urban Knights achieved victories in multiple five-set non-conference battles, accomplished an impressive
comeback win at Point Loma (which featured a breakout
PacWest Freshman of the Week performance from Sadie Emery), saw senior Margaret Winkler become the new career blocks record-holder, and had senior Bailey Soolsma earn
2017 All-PacWest Team Honorable Mention honors.
Batalon's third year with the program saw the Urban Knights go 8-21 overall and finish 12th in the PacWest Conference standings. The team won a pair of two-match series against PacWest opponents, Melissa Brum became the program's career leader in points, kills, and digs, and had seven individuals earn
Academic All-PacWest honors as well.
In 2015, Batalon's second year, ART U finished 10-18 overall and 12th in the PacWest Conference standings. Memorable moments from the Urban Knights' campaign included career milestones of
1,000 kills by Melissa Brum,
4,000 assists by Rachael Smith, then victories in four of the team's final five matches including wins over
Hawaii Pacific,
California Baptist, and
Azusa Pacific. Brum would earn
2015 All-PacWest Third Team honors and the volleyball program succeeded beyond the court as well with the
2015-16 AVCA Team Academic Award and a
#2 ranking in the NCAA Division II - NCAA TeamWorksTM Community Service Competition.
The Urban Knights went 13-15 under Batalon during a 2014 campaign that saw them finish eighth in the PacWest Conference. The year was highlighted by ART U's first-ever victory over California Baptist, a five-set triumph, a 6-1 record against Bay Area competition, and the program's first AVCA All-America Team Honorable Mention in outside hitter Melissa Brum.
Batalon comes from a five-year stint as the associate head women's volleyball coach at University of the Pacific. An integral part of Pacific's recruiting, Batalon handled the Tigers' scouting and video database while the team collectively went 89-60 since 2009 without having a losing season. Among the Tigers' highlight campaigns were 2010, when Pacific went 19-11 overall and featured an offensive powerhouse in AVCA All-Region honoree Svenja Englehardt, and 2012, when the Tigers boasted a 20-11 overall record and won their final match in the Big West Conference prior to a transition to the West Coast Conference.
Before joining Pacific, Batalon spent seven seasons on the bench at the University of Nevada, Reno. He was named the Wolf Pack's top assistant prior to the 2007 season. Batalon was primarily responsible for Nevada's recruiting as the team's recruiting coordinator while managing the team's volleyball database and serving as the primary evaluator. Leading the way on the recruiting effort, Batalon helped land the nation's 23rd-ranked recruiting class in 2006.
In addition to recruiting, Batalon developed the opponent scouting reports for the Wolf Pack while working as the team's video coordinator and underclassmen academic advisor. On the court, Batalon helped train the Wolf Pack setters, defensive specialists and middle blockers.
Prior to Nevada, Batalon was a staple in the Nevada high school ranks as he was the head coach at Reno High School from 1995-99 and an assistant at Bishop Manogue High School in 2000 and North Valleys High School in 2001.
Before beginning his coaching career, Batalon played men's volleyball at Nevada from 1991-95. He earned his bachelor's degree in general studies from Nevada in 2003.
Head Coach, ART U
2014 - present
| Year |
Overall (Pct.) |
PacWest (Place) |
| 2017 |
6-21 (.222) |
3-17 (13th) |
| 2016 |
8-21 (.276) |
6-14 (12th) |
| 2015 |
10-18 (.357) |
6-14 (12th) |
| Totals |
24-60 (.285) |
15-45 (.250) |
