Dan Stephens was hired as the Head Coach for the Corban University Beach Volleyball program in August of 2023 after spending the first four years of the program's existence as one of the primary assistant coaches.
Notable Head Coaching Achievements/Statistics:
·        Overall Record: 49-7
o  CCC Contests: 26-1
·        1 NAIA National Runner-Up Title (2025)
·        2 NAIA National Semifinalist Titles (2025, 2024)
·        1 NAIA West Tournament Championship (2024)
·        2 CCC Regular Season Championships (2025, 2024)
·        1 CCC Tournament Championship (2025)
·        1 CCC Coach of the Year Award (2025)
·        8 NAIA All-Americans (2025: Bischoff/Dennis, Marks/McMillian – First Team; 2024: Bischoff/Dennis – First Team, McMillian/Stokes – Second Team)
·        10 AVCA Top Flight Award Winners (2025: Adebodun/Engels, Bischoff/Dennis, Marks/McMillian; 2024: Bischoff/Dennis, McMillian/Stokes)
·        2 CCC Pair of the Year (2025: Marks/McMillian; 2024: Bischoff/Dennis)
·        1 CCC Attacker of the Year (2025: Bischoff)
·        1 CCC Newcomer of the Year (2024: Stokes)
·        2 CCC Freshman of the Year (2025: Engels, 2024: Bischoff)
·        12 CCC All-Conference Award Winners (2025: Adebodun/Engels, Marks/McMillian – First Team, Bischoff/Dennis – Honorable Mention; 2024: Bischoff/Dennis, McMillian/Stokes – First Team, Bantilan/Marks – Honorable Mention)
·        5 CSC Academic All-American (2025: Bischoff, Dennis, McMillian – First Team, Marks – Second Team; 2024: Dennis – First Team)
·        8 CSC Academic All-District Selections (2025: Bischoff, Dennis, Marks, McMillian, Stokes; 2024: Dennis, Marks, McMillian)
·        26 NAIA Scholar-Athletes (2025: Bazant, Bischoff, Burns, Dennis, Faircloth, Marks, Masanda, McMillian, Ontai, Reid, Sanford, Scott, Stokes, Sullivan; 2024: Bantilan, Bazant, Dennis, Marks, McMillian, O’Rourke, Reid, Ridgway, Roth, Sanford, Scott, Sullivan)
·        26 CCC Academic All-Conference Team Members (2025: Bazant, Bischoff, Burns, Dennis, Faircloth, Marks, Masanda, McMillian, Ontai, Reid, Sanford, Scott, Stokes, Sullivan; 2024: Bantilan, Bazant, Dennis, Marks, McMillian, O’Rourke, Reid, Ridgway, Roth, Sanford, Scott, Stover)
Stephens graduated high school from Santiam Christian in 1984 before choosing to attend Linn-Benton Community College after earning his diploma. After his time as a Road Runner, Stephens decided to follow in his families' footsteps, who has owned and operated a concrete construction company, by beginning a self-starter concrete business of his own at 24 years old that he has owned and operated now for over thirty-three years.
Prior to his time at Santiam Christian, Stephens learned to play volleyball at Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada during his sophomore and junior years. He's played men's club volleyball ever since for over twenty-five years, but his true passion is on the sand courts. He worked his way into the AA level and has been playing at the master’s level for ten years now.
He has coached club volleyball for over eleven seasons and was even the assistant coach for current Corban indoor volleyball head coach Kim McLain when she was the head coach at Santiam Christian. Stephens has worked collegiate camps for NCAA DI schools Washington State University and Oregon State University alongside his continuous support of numerous and volleyball clinics for North Pacific Juniors.
Stephens has been with the Corban beach volleyball program since the inaugural season in 2020 as the top assistant coach, supporting the Warriors' climb to the top of the NAIA as the National Champions in 2022 and National Runner-Up program just this past spring. He's married to his wife Tina of thirty-four years and has two children who have grown up and left the nest, Tye and Tani.
"I am very grateful to have this opportunity to stay with the Corban beach program and continue to build on the program's success," Stephens said. "That being said, I know there is a great deal more going on with our student-athletes than wins, losses, records, or national recognition. There is a real hunger for spiritual growth and a desire to invest in each other's lives. I am humbled by the opportunity to help with this growth, and I trust the Lord will guide me in leading these players."
When asked to speak more on his coaching style, Stephens shared, "I am a very fundamentals oriented coach and we will train hard, work rigorously to develop better beach skills, and use that same energy and preparation in our spiritual lives."
