Since joining the Redbird Volleyball staff ahead of the 2019 season, Redbird Volleyball Assistant Coach, Mike Becker, has helped Illinois State to three-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference Tournament titles. Becker has been a part of three of ISU’s four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2018-2021 and two regular season conference titles in 2019 and 2020-21.
With the Redbirds, Becker works primarily with the team’s blocking and defense initiatives, while taking a lead role in scouting opponents. Becker’s guidance in those areas has shown major results as the ‘Birds have led the Valley in blocking and opponent hitting percentage in each of the three seasons he’s been at ISU.
Throughout the 2021 season, the Redbirds etched their name in the Illinois State record books in numerous categories both individually and as a team and ranked highly on national level throughout the entire 2021 campaign.
Five different Redbirds made jumps into the ISU class records for their blocking numbers in 2021, led by Nicole Lund who appears in the sophomore record book for both block solos and block assists. Lund’s 105 block assists in 2021 are tied for the third most block assists ever by a Redbird sophomore. Her 14 block solos are tied for the 14th-most by a sophomore in school history, while Tamara Otene’s 15 block solos are tied for the 12th most by a sophomore. Sarah Kushner ranks 10th all-time for block solos by junior after posting a team-high 22 solos this season. Rounding out the class records for blocking were Aliyah Moore with 78 block assists to rank 13th all-time for freshmen and Cassie Jordan, whose 87 block assists are the eighth-most by an ISU sophomore.
As a team, the Redbirds has one of the best blocking seasons in program history in 2021, posting the 10th-most total blocks in a single season with 312. With 494 block assists, the 2021 team also ranks 10th all-time for block assists in a single season.
On April 15, 2021, Becker was honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 Award, which recognizes up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels of the sport.
Prior to Illinois State, Becker served as the Director of Operations at Pitt for the three seasons. Pitt reached the NCAA Tournament in each of Becker’s years on staff, marking the program’s longest postseason streak since reaching five-consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 1990-94. The Panthers also earned back-to-back ACC Championships in 2017 and 2018 with Becker on the sidelines.
In his role as Director of Operations, Becker controlled the day-to-day operations for the volleyball team, including serving as a liaison to athletic department officials. In 2018, the Panthers won their second consecutive ACC Championship title and made their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Pitt earned its highest single-season winning percentage in program history (.938), marking their most wins in a season since 1990 (30-2), and posted its highest ACC season winning percentage in program history (.944, 17-1).
Prior to joining the staff at Pitt, Becker was the head coach of the Pacific Coast Volleyball Club from 2014-16. In that role, he headed the Pacific Coast Volleyball Club 18U team, creating practice plans and game strategies along with teaching fundamental skills. He also helped mentor multiple players who signed to continue their careers at surrounding area colleges. He also served as the Delta Valley Volleyball Club head coach from 2013-14, leading the 18U team to a Gold Division finish in northern California.
During that same period, Becker worked in the development department at the University of the Pacific. From 2013-15, he was the Coordinator of Athletics Development and conducted prospect visits and worked closely with volunteers to successfully improve the Pacific Athletic Foundation (PAF) Drive. From there, he became the Annual Giving manger from 2015-2016 where he assisted with management of the PAF, leading volunteer engagement for athletic fund drives and enhancing donor relations. He also managed annual and campaign business plans and activities to achieve annual giving fundraising goals.
A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Becker was a standout collegiate student-athlete at Springfield College from 2009-2013. His teams won three Division III NCAA Championships in 2010, 2012 and 2013 while concluding 2011 as the national runner-up. Voted as the team MVP during the 2013 NCAA Championship run, Becker played under highly-decorated USA and NCAA volleyball coach, Charlie Sullivan. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sport management from Springfield College in 2013 and a Master of Science in athletic administration from University of the Pacific in 2016.
