NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – CSUN Athletics Director Shawn Chin-Farrell has announced the hiring of Aquiles Montoya as Women's Volleyball Head Coach. Montoya becomes the ninth head coach in the history of the CSUN program.
 
"Aquiles is a dynamic and immensely talented volleyball coach, and we are tremendously excited he will lead our volleyball program," Chin-Farrell said. "His ability to identify and develop talent, including the last three Big Sky Newcomers of year, speaks to his overall coaching ability. Importantly, we welcome Aquiles, Alix, Leighton and Aquiles IV to our Matadors Community."
 
Montoya comes to CSUN after spending the past four seasons as associate head coach and director of recruiting at Portland State. Montoya was instrumental in three straight Vikings' student-athletes earning the Big Sky Conference's Top Newcomer award. On the court, Portland State made consecutive postseason appearances in 2021 and 2022, qualifying for the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). The Vikings won their first-round match in 2021, giving Portland State its first win at a national postseason tournament in Division I program history.
 
"My family and I are ecstatic l to join the CSUN Matador family," said Montoya. "I want to thank Shawn Chin-Farrell and Sonia Hahn for the opportunity to represent this amazing University and Athletics Department. It was apparent that through this process they are leading a department where the backbone is a family atmosphere that provides the best experience possible for student-athletes."
 
The Vikings rise in the Big Sky Conference coincided with Montoya's tenure as an assistant and associate head coach under Portland State head coach Michael Seeman. The Vikings posted winning seasons, both overall and in conference play, in each of Montoya's last three seasons while reaching the Big Sky championship match in 2022, their first appearance since 2013. Additionally, the Vikings went 20-11 in 2021 for their first 20-win since 2017 and only second since 2013.
 
"I also want to thank Michael Seemann at Portland State, for teaching and mentoring me the past four years," added Montoya. "Not every aspiring head coach gets the opportunity to learn from a great head coach and gain such a good friend. Our staff will use the lessons I learned from him and my experiences, to create an amazing student-athlete experience while creating a program that contends for Big West Conference Championships."

Prior to Portland State, Montoya spent the previous three seasons as the lead assistant of the Pacific Boxers' varsity team. He helped the Boxers set program records for wins in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018. The Boxers went 17-7 overall and 10-6 in the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference (NWC) in 2017, then topped that the following year while going 18-8 overall and 11-5 in NWC play.
 
Additionally, Montoya also served as the technical coordinator at the University of Portland in 2017. In his lone season with the Pilots, Montoya served under head coach Brent Crouch – the current head coach at Auburn – while overseeing the program's pre-and post-practice video set up.
 
Montoya's coaching resumé also includes serving as the head coach for the NCVA Boys Indoor High-Performance team in 2017 and was the program's lead assistant from 2014-16. In four years with the club, Montoya helped lead the team to a 25-7 overall record while numerous players went on to play collegiately.
 
Additionally, Montoya served as the 18s National head coach for the North Pacific Juniors Volleyball Club. He also served as the head assistant coach for the NCVA Girls Beach High Performance club team from 2015-16, and has experience working for the Oregon Juniors Volleyball Academy, Core Volleyball Club, Sand Legs Volleyball Club and Renegades Volleyball Club.
 
As a student-athlete, Montoya began his collegiate career in 2011 at Santa Barbara City College, where he was a two-year starter at middle blocker. He was voted MVP of the Western State Conference North Division as a sophomore, before moving on to Grand Canyon University where he was a two-year letterwinner for the Lopes in 2013-14.
 
Montoya also played for various adult teams after college, spending time with Stump Town Volleyball, the Orange County Volleyball Club, and the Blizzard Volleyball Club.
 
Montoya and his wife, Alix, have two children, Leighton and Aquiles IV.
 
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