EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern volleyball has added two members to its staff, head coach Shane Davis announced today.
Brian Toron, formerly the interim head coach at the University of Delaware, is joining the Wildcats as a technical coordinator. Additionally, former Loyola University Chicago volleyball player Jeff Patton has been named the new volunteer assistant coach.
"I'm excited to have them both on staff," said Davis, who is set to start his second season in Evanston. "Brian has been a head coach and an assistant coach and understands how a staff works. His knowledge of the game is a huge asset. Jeff is a young coach and I'm excited for him to bring his unique background in sports psychology here to Northwestern."
Toron, a native of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and a graduate of the University of Delaware, was promoted to interim head coach of the Blue Hens in October 2016. After inheriting a team with a 6-13 record, Delaware finished the season 10-3 — including their first CAA Championship match appearance since 2011 — under his leadership.
Prior to being elevated to interim head coach, Toron was the program's director of operations, assisting the staff with scouting reports, team travel, recruiting, compliance, and business. From 2014-15, he was the volunteer assistant coach with Delaware, and he helped implement practice plans and provided technical feedback for players.
Collegiately, Toron played on the University of Delaware's men's club volleyball team and served as a male practice player for the women's varsity squad for over a year.
Patton, an Auburn, California, native, played for two years under Davis while at Loyola. In his senior season, he was one of the Ramblers' top serving specialists, ranking fourth on the team with 15 service aces en route to the program's first-ever NCAA semifinal berth. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in communications in 2013.
Since graduating, he has coached at the Division1 Volleyball Club in Chicago and served as a youth counselor for Becoming a Man (BAM), where he counseled and mentored at-risk high-school males. In July 2016, Patton completed his masters in counseling (with a specialization in sport and health psychology) from Adler University.
The Wildcats will play the 2017 season at historic Beardsley Gym at Evanston Township High School due to ongoing $110 million renovations of Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats return one of the program's all-time leading setters in Taylor Tashima, who currently ranks seventh all-time in program history with 2,486 assists, and reigning Big Ten kills leader Symone Abbott.
Brian Toron, formerly the interim head coach at the University of Delaware, is joining the Wildcats as a technical coordinator. Additionally, former Loyola University Chicago volleyball player Jeff Patton has been named the new volunteer assistant coach.
"I'm excited to have them both on staff," said Davis, who is set to start his second season in Evanston. "Brian has been a head coach and an assistant coach and understands how a staff works. His knowledge of the game is a huge asset. Jeff is a young coach and I'm excited for him to bring his unique background in sports psychology here to Northwestern."
Toron, a native of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and a graduate of the University of Delaware, was promoted to interim head coach of the Blue Hens in October 2016. After inheriting a team with a 6-13 record, Delaware finished the season 10-3 — including their first CAA Championship match appearance since 2011 — under his leadership.
Prior to being elevated to interim head coach, Toron was the program's director of operations, assisting the staff with scouting reports, team travel, recruiting, compliance, and business. From 2014-15, he was the volunteer assistant coach with Delaware, and he helped implement practice plans and provided technical feedback for players.
Collegiately, Toron played on the University of Delaware's men's club volleyball team and served as a male practice player for the women's varsity squad for over a year.
Patton, an Auburn, California, native, played for two years under Davis while at Loyola. In his senior season, he was one of the Ramblers' top serving specialists, ranking fourth on the team with 15 service aces en route to the program's first-ever NCAA semifinal berth. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in communications in 2013.
Since graduating, he has coached at the Division1 Volleyball Club in Chicago and served as a youth counselor for Becoming a Man (BAM), where he counseled and mentored at-risk high-school males. In July 2016, Patton completed his masters in counseling (with a specialization in sport and health psychology) from Adler University.
The Wildcats will play the 2017 season at historic Beardsley Gym at Evanston Township High School due to ongoing $110 million renovations of Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats return one of the program's all-time leading setters in Taylor Tashima, who currently ranks seventh all-time in program history with 2,486 assists, and reigning Big Ten kills leader Symone Abbott.