GOSHEN, Ind. - Longtime local high school coach Jim Routhier has been named the head coach of the Goshen College volleyball program, Athletic Director Tim Demant announced Friday.

Routhier, who spent 22 seasons at the helm of Concord High School (Elkhart, Ind.), takes over for Jewel Lehman who resigned in January to focus on her academic career. Lehman led the rebirth of the Maple Leaf program including a 20-13 record in 2008 and the program's second-ever birth in the Mid-Central College Conference (MCC) semifinals.

"I am extremely happy to have Jim as a Maple Leaf and to have him continue to build our volleyball program into a National caliber program," said Demant. "The program has come a long way under the leadership of Coach Lehman and we believe Jim's energy, commitment to excellence on and off the court, and ability to recruit and train top players will help us continue that improvement."

"This is indeed an exciting day for GC volleyball," Demant added. "I'm excited to see where we will be in the near future."

As the head coach at Concord High School, Routhier compiled an incredible record of 472-179 while leading the Minutemen to four Northern Lakes Conference Championships, two section championships and one Indiana State Elite Eight appearance before retiring from the position two years ago.

Also a science teacher and assistant athletic trainer at Concord, Routhier received several phone calls from friends notifying him the position was open and that he should consider applying.

"The more I got thinking about it, the more I really missed volleyball and the interaction with the kids," Routhier explained. "The more I investigated the program and talked with people associated with Goshen College, the more interested and excited I became."

The Goshen College Athletic Department underwent a nation-wide search before finding the next head coach in their own backyard in the three-time Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) Coach of the Year. Routhier also was a recipient of the NLC Service Award for his work as a coach and in starting Concord's Athletic Training Program.

"(During the process) I was impressed with how they (Goshen College) keeps the kids first and have specific goals in mind," Routhier explained. "Once I got on campus, I knew that this is really where I would like to be."
Obviously no stranger to the local volleyball scene, Routhier also has experience with the college game. As a high school coach, Routhier has sent more than 50 of his former players on to play college ball at all levels, including the likes of Ohio State and Indiana. A former college player himself, Routhier played under volleyball icon Don Shondell at Ball State University.

While the transition always takes time for a new head coach, Routhier is already hard at work. One step is already done as Routhier has added one of his former players to his coaching staff in 2000 Concord graduate Jennifer (Hale) Higley.

A three-time all conference setter at Concord, Higley helped her Minuteman team to the state quarterfinals. She then went on to be a two-time all conference selection at MCC foe Taylor University. While at Taylor, Higley posted the single-season record for assists with 2,037 in 2002 and was twice named to the all region team. As a senior, she earned NAIA All American Honorable Mention honors and finished her career ranked third on the program's all-time assists list with 5,122.

With one task off his list, Routhier turns his attention to acclimating himself to the position and his team, which will return all but one player from the 2008 season. The Maple Leaf players, meanwhile, are deep into an offseason-conditioning program as they prepare for a much-anticipated 2009 campaign.

"I am really excited and anxious to get going," Routhier added. "I know I have a lot to learn, but I am not going to re-invent the wheel - my philosophies are very similar to Jewel's (Lehman)."

"It is a fantastic program and is really starting to grow," Routhier said on Thursday. "It is great that I get to be a part of it."