Switching roles

Michael Seemann was lured away from his assistant coach post at Oregon State two years ago to become Portland State’s associate head coach and the eventual successor to head volleyball coach Jeff Mozzochi.

After two successful seasons working closely alongside Mozzochi, Seemann was deemed prepared to take over the program and announced as the head coach on June 15.

Seemann, who coached Mt. Hood Community College to a 153-33 record with two league championships, has already assumed head coaching duties, leading the Vikings through spring competition and summer workouts. Mozzochi, who has coached a total of 15 years during two stints at PSU, will now hold the title of associate head coach and program director.

“When I announced this change to the team, I explained how they were lucky to have two head coaches on staff,” said Athletic Director Torre Chisholm. “Having both Jeff and Michael secures the long-term future of our volleyball program.”

Chisholm says several schools had been looking at Seemann as a head coach, making this perfect timing for him to take control of the Viking volleyball program and ensure his future at PSU.

“In our perspective this is ideal,” Chisholm said. “We end up with Michael, a motivated head coach who will be at Portland State for a long time, and retain Jeff, a longtime head coach that knows how to get it done.”

As the head coach, Seemann will be responsible for developing the majority of practice drills, focusing on the defense while Mozzochi trains the offense, game planning, recruiting, handling travel arrangements and Big Sky Conference matters.

“The ultimate weight and vision of the program lies in my hands,” Seemann said. “I will now have the full brunt of the responsibility.”

Mozzochi, assuming a reduced role but still acting as an integral figure, is expected to assist Seemann with game planning, recruiting and on-court coaching, providing the young Seemann with the advice Mozzochi’s experience has granted him.

“My new position really is not going to change much, and that’s the point…what this realignment does is makes it so I don’t have to worry about every detail at all times, and that is really what a head coach does,” said Mozzochi. “We’ve worked so closely the past couple years that the affect on the players will be pretty minimal.”

Mozzochi and Seemann are familiar with this collaborative coaching style. During the past two seasons, the two faces of Viking volleyball have shared many head coaching duties, with Mozzochi at the helm and Seemann his understudy. The only difference for next season will be the switched roles.

Seemann says that the coaches have complimented each other very well over the past two seasons, mainly because they employ dissimilar coaching styles. Mozzochi is a conservative and technically-oriented coach who emphasizes repetition, where Seemann is more creative and innovative.

“I am definitely more aggressive than Jeff as for game management and substituting players. I will take more gambles and risks,” Seemann said. “I’m a creative coach, and that shows in my drills. I try to make them appear game-like by reinventing certain parts of the game.”

Under Mozzochi and Seemann’s watch, the Vikings have compiled two consecutive 21-victory seasons and have remained undefeated at home in the Stott Center. Portland State has also finished second in the Big Sky the last two years with a 24-6 mark against conference foes.

After four seniors graduated this year, including 2006 Big Sky MVP Jessica Brodie and Big Sky All-Tournament team member Jessica Frederick, the Vikings expectations are not as lofty as previous seasons.

“This is a young group, so I think we will certainly take our lumps early in the year,” Mozzochi said.

Seemann shares Mozzochi’s sentiment concerning the Vikings’ prospects for next season.

“We are definitely going to take our hits early next year, especially in conference,” the new head coach said. “We are relying on a very young group. Our more consistent positions are our setting spot, held by (Dominique) Fradella, and our senior middle blocker Michelle Segun. We aren’t going to be able to walk over lesser teams like before. We will have to play well to some beat of these teams next season.”