Karl France, now serving as Acting Head Coach, is in his third season as a member of the New York University women’s volleyball staff.
Last season, France helped lead the Violets to an 18-17 record and to the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship. Junior captain Rayne Ellis produced a record-setting season, as she totaled the second-most solo blocks (35), fifth-most total blocks (117) and the third-highest blocks per game (0.98) in a single season in program history. For her performances, Ellis was named First Team All-ECAC Metro and earned Honorable Mention All-University Athletic Association (UAA) accolades.
France’s players also excelled in the classroom. Five team members earned UAA Fall Sport All-Academic honors and six were named to NYU’s Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee’s (IAAC) Fall Honor Roll. In addition, Ellis and sophomores Daryl Mitchell and Annie Singh received the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports-Scholar Award
In his first season with the team, France helped lead the Violets to a 16-18 record and a seventh-place finish at the UAA Championship. The team members also accrued numerous individual accolades through the season. Nicole Frias earned UAA Honorable Mention, while Brook Tannahill made her way into the NYU record book, compiling the fourth-highest single-season totals in digs and digs per set.
France is no stranger to volleyball at NYU, as he also continues to serve as an assistant coach for the men’s team. He was originally a member of the staff from 2003-2007 before serving as Head Coach of both the men’s and women’s teams at Rutgers-Newark University from 2007-12. France returned to NYU for the 2012-13 season and has remained with the program since then.
In 2011, France led the Rutgers-Newark men to their first winning season since 2004. The Scarlet Raiders posted a 17-12 overall record and reached the semifinals of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Championship.
The Rutgers-Newark women’s team also had its best season in years under France in 2010, going 10-18, and recording its most victories in a season since 2006.
Prior to beginning his first stint at NYU, France was the Men’s and Women’s Head Volleyball Coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY, from 1998-2002. During his years there, the men’s team posted an overall record of 76-46 and he earned Northeastern Collegiate Volleyball Association Coach of the Year honors in 2000. France also guided the women’s team to a 52-27 record and to three Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference titles.
In addition to his collegiate experience, France was selected to serve as the Head Coach of the New York City Empire State Games Men’s Open (2005) and Scholastic Women’s (2002-04) teams. He has also worked for USA Volleyball in their High Performance Program as an Assistant Coach (2007, 2008, 2014, 2015). Prior to his collegiate experience, France coached volleyball, basketball, softball, and swimming at the Marymount School in Manhattan.
A 1991 graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications, France played on the Falcons’ club volleyball team for three years
France is a native and resident of Brooklyn, NY.
