Bluhm, in his fourth year on the Delaware State volleyball staff, has been instrumental in the program’s recent rise to MEAC championship contender.
Head coach Bruce Atkinson appointed Bluhm as his first assistant with the Hornets in July 2019. He has more than 20 years of collegiate and club volleyball coaching experience, along with 24 years of competition at various levels.
In 2021, he assisted Atkinson, the MEAC Coach-of-the-Year, in guiding the Hornets to a record-setting season, highlighted by a share of the MEAC regular season title for the first time since 1987 and a team record 26 wins (26-5).
Delaware State competed in the MEAC championship match for the first time since 2010 and was selected to the field of a national championship tournament (National Invitational Volleyball Championship) for the first time in team history during the 2021 campaign.
In addition, the Hornets were a perfect 13-0 at home and 11-1 vs. non-conference teams during the regular season, while also establishing new team highs for MEAC wins (12), longest win streak (16) and shutout wins (20).
The 16 consecutive wins, 14 by 3-0 scores, included shutout wins against Central Connecticut, Siena and St. Francis (Pa.) to claim the Siena Invitational championship.
Delaware State ended the 2021 regular season as the MEAC leader in kills, hitting percentage, opponents hitting percentage and assists
Also in 2021, Also, Delaware State middle blocker Alondra Maldonado (so.) was selected to the All-MEAC First Team, while fellow middle blocker Sydney Lewis (jr.) and setter Malgorzata Andersohn (jr.) were second team honorees.
Maldonado and Valeria Otero were also named to the 2021 MEAC All-Tournament Team.
Andersohn also earned recognition as the national Division I statistical champion for Aces Per Set for the 2021-22 season. In her first season with the Hornets, she was tops among all NCAA Division I players with a 0.65 aces per set average.
Ten members of the 2021 Hornets, each that was eligible, also earned MEAC All-Academic recognition.
Bluhm helped lead the Hornets to a 10-win improvement from the previous season in his first year at DSU.
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 in 2019 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.
Prior to joining the Hornets, he served as assistant women’s volleyball coach at NCAA Div. I Fordham University in New York during the 2018 season.
From 2014 to 2017, Bluhm was head women’s volleyball coach at Div. III Plattsburgh State (N.Y.).
His coaching career also includes a three-year stint as head men’s and women’s volleyball coach at Div. III SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica, N.Y.
Bluhm’s tenure as SUNY Tech’s women’s coach was highlighted by a 29-5 overall record and North Eastern Athletic Conference regular season championship in 2013. He was named NEAC Coach-of-the-Year and nominated for New York Region Coach-of-the-Year that season, which also featured a 24-match win streak.
Bluhm posted an overall record of 62-39 as SUNY Tech’s head women’s volleyball coach
His tenure as the school’s men’s volleyball coach was highlighted by the NEAC championship, conference Coach-of-the-Year award and a school-record 19 wins in 2014.
From 2008 to 2010, Bluhm was assistant women’s volleyball coach at SUNY Cortland. The team posted an 89-31 overall record and secured a NCAA Tournament berth, while four players earned All-America Honorable Mention during the tenure.
Bluhm received a bachelor’s in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland in 2004 and a master’s in Health Education from the school in 2011.
