FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue Fort Wayne Director of Athletics Kelley Hartley Hutton has announced that former Daemen head coach Donny Gleason has been selected as the third head coach of the Mastodon men's volleyball program.
"We are very excited to welcome Donny to the Mastodon family," Hartley Hutton said. "His success after starting the Daemen men's volleyball program combined with his leadership style, make him the right choice to be the next head coach of our storied Mastodon program. He is a well-respected coach in the men's volleyball community and I expect him to make an immediate impact on Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics."
Gleason has been coaching collegiate volleyball since 2011 and has spent time in both the men's and women's games. He spent 10 years as an assistant coach for the Medaille (NCAA Division III), Yale, Southern California, Buffalo, Stony Brook and Daemen (NCAA Division II) programs. He was named the first men's volleyball coach in Daemen history and quickly became relevant in the National Collegiate men's volleyball scene. Daemen was the first program competing in National Collegiate men's volleyball in the state of New York.
"First, I'd like to thank Traci Murphy and the leadership at Daemen for the opportunity to build the Daemen men's volleyball program over the last seven years," Gleason said. "It was certainly difficult to step away, but I am excited for this new opportunity.
"With such a storied history, there is no doubt that PFW can quickly reemerge as a perennial conference contender," Gleason said. "Kelley Hartley Hutton's vision for the program is right in line with what I believe I can provide: a culture where student-athletes can find both joy and success. I look forward to building connections with the team and creating an environment in which they can thrive."
With Gleason at the helm, the Wildcats of Daemen moved in the AVCA National Collegiate Coaches Poll for the first time in 2024, claiming the No. 20 spot in the poll. He led Daemen to a 20-6 mark last season, and the No. 2 seeded Wildcats won the Northeast Conference championship after knocking off No. 1 Saint Francis (Pa.) in the title match. Gleason had an 81-43 (.653) career record as the head coach of Daemen since starting the program in 2019.
Before moving into the head coach role on the men's side at Daemen, Gleason was an assistant coach for the Wildcats' women's program. He was an assistant for three years prior to his men's role and stayed on the staff for one more season after his first with the men. With the women, Gleason helped the Wildcats to 73-47 (.608) overall record and 38-14 (.731) and two Division II NCAA Tournament appearances.
Prior to his time in Amherst, New York, Gleason went to two Division I NCAA Tournaments as an assistant coach at Yale, helping the Bulldogs to a combined record of 38-11 and 27-1 in the Ivy League.
The first season of the Gleason era will officially kick off in January 2025.
Career Timeline
| Year |
Position |
School |
Location |
Level |
Team Record |
| 2011 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Medaille |
Buffalo, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. III |
13-15, 7-2 AMCC |
| 2012 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Yale |
New Haven, Conn. |
NCAA Div. I |
18-6, 14-0 Ivy |
| 2013 |
Volunteer Assistant Coach (Women) |
Southern California |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
NCAA Div. I |
- |
| 2013 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Yale |
New Haven, Conn. |
NCAA Div. I |
20-5, 13-1 Ivy |
| 2014 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Buffalo |
Buffalo, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I |
17-15, 6-10 MAC |
| 2015 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Stony Brook |
Stony Brook, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I |
12-19, 6-6 AEC |
| 2016 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. II |
25-8, 13-1 ECC |
| 2017 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. II |
11-16, 7-7 ECC |
| 2018 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y, |
NCAA Div. II |
21-11, 13-1 ECC |
| 2019 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
6-17 |
| 2019 |
Assistant Coach (Women) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. II |
16-12, 5-5 ECC |
| 2020 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
12-7 |
| 2021 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
10-0 |
| 2022 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
16-6 |
| 2023 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
17-7, 11-3 NEC |
| 2024 |
Head Coach (Men) |
Daemen |
Amherst, N.Y. |
NCAA Div. I/II |
20-6, 9-3 |
Career Head Coaching Record
| School |
Years |
Overall Record |
Win Pct. |
Conference Record |
Win Pct. |
| Daemen |
2019-24 |
81-43 |
.653 |
20-6 |
.769 |
| TOTALS |
6 SEASONS |
81-43 |
.653 |
20-6 |
.769 |
~ Feel the Rumble ~
