Coach Callender completed his 19th season with the Lady Mustangs during the 2016 season, as WNMU remained very competitive even in the very tough Lone Star Conference. WNMU compiled 16 wins and made the conference tournament as a seventh seed. The Lady Mustangs began the season winning six matches in a pair of non-conference tournaments defeating CSU-Dominguez Hills, Chadron State, Point Loma, Minot State, Texas A&M-International and Westminster College.
Following a loss to start the conference slate, the Lady Mustangs came back to win four straight against St. Edward’s, Texas A&M-International, Cameron and Midwestern State. Other conference wins included UT Permian Basin (twice), Texas Woman’s, Midwestern State (again) and then tallied a big home win against West Texas A&M. WNMU nearly finished the regular season with a big win against Tarleton State, falling just short in five sets.
Senior Shannon Rich had a big season being tabbed Lone Star Defensive Player of the Year, along with D2CCA and AVCA honors. Ashley Mataele grabbed LSC All-Tournament accolades, while Heather Verrill and Samantha Haupeakui were named to the All-LSC Teams. Seven student-athletes were named to the LSC Commissioner’s List for having at least a 3.30 GPA during the fall season.
Callender helped keep the Lady Mustangs near the top of the RMAC standings during their final turn through the conference in 2015, tying for second in the RMAC and advancing to the RMAC Tournament. He closed the regular season with his 700th career victory in the win against New Mexico Highlands. His strong season of 14-4 in the RMAC and 19-8 overall helped him to be tabbed RMAC Co-Coach of the Year. The Lady Mustangs started the RMAC slate on a tear winning their first nine matches and ended up just missing out on a trip to Regionals. Leeta Grap, Shannon Rich, Heather Verrill and Ashley Mataele were named All-RMAC, while the team landed a conference high 11 players on the Academic All-RMAC list.
The 2014 campaign saw the Lady Mustangs once again collect double-digit victories and nearly made it to the RMAC Tournament. During the 2013 season, the team reached 20 wins for the first time since 2008 after going 23-7 and placing second in the RMAC. Since the Mustangs rejoined the conference, the team has made it to the RMAC Tournament in all but one season, as well as the Heartland Conference Tournament in-between times in the RMAC. The team made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006 and three players were named to the All-RMAC Teams and five earned All-RMAC Academic recognition. Angelina Pulu was named AVCA honorable mention for the second straight year following her senior year in 2013.
Following the 2013 season, Coach Callender was ranked 20th in the nation for most wins regardless of division and is currently sixth in Division II wins leaders. He ranks in the top-50 regardless of division in winning percentage and seventh in most victories among active coaches.
During the 2012 campaign, the team again won in double-digits with 15 and star player Angelina Pulu was named an AVCA honorable mention. They again made the postseason reaching the RMAC Tournament.
With 700 wins under his belt, Mustang Volleyball Coach Jim Callender has been around the block a time or two.
The Western Illinois University graduate has taken programs that were near DOA status and changed them into championship caliber teams more than a few times. His situation was no different at WNMU.
Upon his arrival at WNMU for the 1998 season, Callender took a program that was most likely the worst in Division II and took them to the conference tournament that year in the incredibly difficult Pac-West. That turnaround season, which went from “Oh-fer” to .500, was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the country.
The impressive improvement continues as his 2006 team won the RMAC regular season championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II Southwest Regional. Over the past four years, the Mustangs have knocked off numerous top ten programs, and the fruits of those efforts continue to pay dividends in the recruiting wars. Callender has made WNMU a big stop in the national arena for quality recruits.
Prior to his arrival at WNMU, Coach Callender saw considerable success at virtually all levels of collegiate volleyball. With winning records from Division I Memphis State to DIII member St. Mary’s University (Minnesota), Callender is a major player in the national volleyball community, serving on numerous district, regional, and national committees. He also served successfully as head coach at Peru State, Mundelein College, and Western Oregon.
In addition to his collegiate ties, Callender served for over 20 years as a head coach at the USA Volleyball Development Camps, as well as being a clinician for the organization and its summer camps.
His sparkling coaching career has seen 44 all-district and 14 all-Americans, in addition to numerous all-Academic award recipients.
His WNMU teams are perennially atop the athletic GPA standings, as academics remains one of the main factors behind his recruiting scheme.
As a player, he campaigned for Brigham Young University’s (BYU) men’s program, where he also served as a graduate assistant while working on his doctorate in athletic administration.
Callender received his Bachelor of Business Administration from BYU (1980) and his Master of Business Administration from Western Illinois University (1982). In addition, he is near completion of his Doctorate of Education from Brigham Young University.
Callender is an active member in the Rotary Club and High Desert Humane Society.
Coaching Accomplishments
2015 #6 All-Time NCAA II Active Coaching Victories (700)
2015 RMAC Co-Coach of the Year
2015 700th Career Victory Against New Mexico Highlands
2014 #7 All-Time NCAA II Active Coaching Victories
2014 #15 Winningest Coach All-Time NCAA II Victories (681)
2013 NCAA II National Tournament
2010 AVCA Tachikara 600 Career Victory Club
2006-13 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Qualifier
2008 Rocky Mountain West Division Champions
2006 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Coach of the Year
2006 NCAA II National Tournament
2005 NCAA II National Tournament
2005 AVCA Tachikara 500 Career Victory Club
1999 AVCA Tachikara 400 Career Victory Club Award
1997 AVCA/NCAA III National Ranking Committee
1994 AVCA Tachikara 300 Career Victory Club Award
1990-95 NAIA Nationally and Regionally ranked (Peru State College and Mundelein College)
1991 AVCA Tachikara 200 Career Victory Club Award
1989 Chicagoland Conference Coach of the Year
1988 AVCA Tachikara 100 Career Victory Club
1987 NCAA I Metro Conference Coach of the Year
1985-14 Produced 65 All-Conference Selections, 19 All-Americans, 73 Academic All-Conference Selections, 16 Academic All-Americans, 1 Kodak Scholar-Athlete
