Dover, Del. (Sep. 15, 2020) --- Delaware State has secured the services of head women's volleyball coach Dr. Bruce Atkinson for at least the next three years.
DSU Director of Athletics Dr. D. Scott Gines has announced that Atkinson has agreed to a new deal to remain with the program through at least Dec. 31, 2023. His original contract was set to expire at the end of this year.
The Hornets made huge strides in Atkinson's first season with the program in 2019, posting a 10-win improvement from the previous year.
Delaware State's 12 wins in 2019 (12-18) were the most by the team since posting an 18-12 mark in 2010. The Hornets had just 12 wins combined in the six seasons prior to his arrival.
The Hornets' seven MEAC wins last season were also the most by the team since tallying eight (8-2) in 2010. DSU also had a three-game win streak this past season, its longest in nine years.  
Atkinson also received national recognition for the Hornets' work in the classroom during his first year at DSU. The American Volleyball Coaches Association honored the Hornets as a recipient of the 2020 United States Marine/AVCA Team Academic Award.
In addition, Atkinson's first Delaware State squad achieved a 3.71 team GPA during the spring 2020 semester and 3.53 mark for the 2019-20 academic year. 
Also, each of the Hornets' eligible volleyball student-athletes was listed on the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner's All-Academic Team.
"Bruce is a veteran coach with a proven record of success on and off the court," said Gines. "He has quickly set our volleyball program on a course to become highly competitive. Our current volleyball team is still relatively young, so it's important that we provide stability in the program to give our student-athletes the best environment to grow and succeed."          
Atkinson's 12-year career as a college head coach is highlighted by a 229-134 overall record (.631 win percentage), multiple conference championships, five Coach-of-the-Year awards and six 20-win seasons. 
Prior to joining the Hornets, Atkinson was head women's volleyball coach at Winthrop (S.C.) University from 2013 to 2018. His 98 wins at Winthrop are third-most in the 32-year history of the program.
From 2010 to 2013, Atkinson was head women's volleyball coach at Towson University in Maryland. In 2012, he led the Tigers to the Colonial Athletic Association championship and a 25-4 overall record, including a 12-0 mark in conference regular season matches. He earned two CAA Coach-of-the-Year awards (2011, 2012) while at Towson.
Prior to his tenure at Towson, Atkinson was head women's volleyball coach at the University of Hawaii at Hilo from 2007 to 2010.  In three seasons, he was Pacific West Conference Coach-of-the-Year in 2007 and 2009, and led the Vulcans at a 69-13 overall record (.812), including a 39-5 mark in conference play (.872).
Atkinson began his college coaching career as head women's volleyball coach at the University of Texas at Brownsville, where he led the Ocelots to a Red River Athletic Conference championship and was named league Coach-of-the-Year after posting a 27-10 overall record and 10-1 conference mark during the 2006-07 season.
"I want to thank Dr. Gines for the confidence and support he has given to me, the coaching staff and our student-athletes," said Atkinson. " I am excited to be a part of Delaware State University and look forward to the journey ahead as we work toward earning degrees and building a championship volleyball program."  
While the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Delaware State have suspended fall 2020 sports due to Covid-19, plans are underway to resume competition in the spring 2021 semester.
The Hornets expect to return three 2019 MEAC All-Rookie selections, in addition to adding six highly-touted newcomers for their next season.