William Tatge enters his second year at Louisiana Tech in 2020 after helping the Lady Techsters record their best season since 2003 in 2019.
Tech finished the season with a 13-15 record and opened the year 11-4. The Techsters earned two championships at early season tournaments during their hot start to the year.
Tatge worked primarily with setters in 2019. Under his tutelage the Lady Techsters improved from 10.6 to 11.2 assists per set. Tatge also coordinated scouting for the Techsters last season.
Statistically, Tech improved in several categories in 2019. The Lady Techsters posted more kills, assists, aces, and blocks per set than in 2018 while returning many of the same student-athletes. The 2019 team also committed 97 fewer errors than the prior year.
Louisiana Tech head volleyball coach Amber McCray announced the addition of Tatge to the coaching staff on March 26, 2019.
“I knew Coach Tatge had the potential to be the perfect fit for our program from the first conversation I had with him, and each interaction since has continued to confirm that,” McCray remarked. “We believe we are truly blessed to be able to add someone with his extensive coaching experience on various levels, in addition to his detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of the game. Coach Tatge’s genuine passion for motivating and developing student-athletes on and off the court directly aligns with our core values and vision for Louisiana Tech volleyball, and we can’t wait to move forward together.”
Tatge joins the Lady Techsters staff after spending the 2018 season as an assistant under Geoff Carlston at Ohio State. Prior to his time with the Buckeyes, Tatge spent three seasons as the head women’s volleyball coach at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Tatge, who was also an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball program, boasts a coaching background that spans across two continents.
"I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the Louisiana Tech women's volleyball program,” said Tatge. “Throughout the interview process I was thoroughly impressed with both Coach McCray and Coach Hays. My time on campus only worked to reaffirm not only the coaching staff’s desire to create a holistic atmosphere for the volleyball program, but also the rest of the athletic staff’s mindset and their desire to put students first. I would like to thank Coach McCray and the athletic administration for giving me this opportunity, and I look forward to a very bright future here at Louisiana Tech."
Tatge saw immediate success in his first two seasons as a head coach, leading the Bobcats to postseason appearances in both 2015 and 16, while also guiding several student-athletes to Academic All-Conference Carolinas honors along with the AVCA Team Academic Award. He also coached eight players to top-10 statistical marks in the program’s history.
Prior to his time at Lees-McRae, Tatge spent two years as an assistant at Montreat College in Montreat, North Carolina, where he claimed the 2014 AVCA Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year and the Appalachian Athletic Conference Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
As the assistant women's volleyball coach and head junior varsity coach for Montreat College, he was heavily involved with every aspect of the program.
Prior to his time at Montreat, Tatge was the head men's and assistant women's volleyball coach at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He performed a wide variety of coaching tasks on the practice and game court, while also serving as the liaison between the volleyball program and athletic department as the head men's coach.
Tatge spent two years as the assistant volleyball coach at Bethany Lutheran College, where he assisted with softball and men’s soccer.
As a player, Tatge competed internationally for Team Northumbria in the English National League as well as for Team Durham and Indiana University during his postgraduate and undergraduate studies. He also played collegiate soccer, basketball, and tennis during his undergraduate studies.
Tatge earned a master’s degree in management from Durham University Business School, a top 75 globally-recognized program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in business administration and coaching. He is USAV CAP 1 and IMPACT certified.
