Athletic Department Profiles: Meet Head Volleyball Coach, Patrick Hiltz

Garden City, KS-Sept. 4, 2019 is a significant day in the recent history of Broncbuster volleyball. On that date, Garden City not only snapped a 42-match losing streak with a four-set victory over Butler, but they slowly began their climb out of the doldrums of the Jayhawk Conference.

No, the brown and gold didn't win the National Championship on that night. But you could argue that that victory was even more significant. And it was all directed by a man who embraced the challenge of a struggling program; one who demands perfection in every aspect.

Patrick Hiltz could have easily passed when the job came open in Feb. 2019. After all, the 44-year old had a cushy gig at Blinn working under Hall-of-Famer Terry Gamble. Meantime, Garden City was on their third Head Coach in five years. So, it was definitely a rebuilding project to say the least. Hiltz though, never blinked.

"The athletic department has a history of success," Hiltz, who was sporting a perfectly shaved goatee with a blend of white and gray hair, said during his introductory press conference on March 18, 2019. "There is no reason that the volleyball program can't join the party."

And so began the odyssey for Hiltz, a man who had cut his teeth in the sport while growing up on the west coast in California. He started playing competitively in elementary school, which eventually carried over into high school. He enrolled at San Marcos and played under Jon Lee, a man he credits for scratching his proverbial coaching itch. During his junior year, Hiltz became an assistant for the girls' "B" team.

"I figured, at that point I was done growing," said Hiltz, who was about 5-9 at the time. "It kind of gave me a little extra motivation to become a coach."

Hiltz wasn't blessed with the type of frame needed to play volleyball at a Power-five school. But what he possessed was natural leadership. There aren't many high-school students masquerading as coaches, and yet there was Hiltz, diving headfirst into the profession before he even had his driver's license.

"I really caught the coaching bug," Hiltz added.

After high school, he moved to Flagstaff and attended Northern Arizona University. And it was there, where he really got his feet wet in coaching. Hiltz worked for Peter and Katy Meyer on the club scene and at Flagstaff High School while keeping his tools sharp on the court, playing for the intramural squad. A couple of years later, he packed up his things for Las Vegas to finish his degree at UNLV. At the same time, he joined the coaching staff at Foothill High School under Dee Nuanes, who just recently retired.

"I've been blessed with each opportunity that I've had," Hiltz explained.

After a few years in Sin City, a stretch that included a brief appearance in the World Series of Poker, yes Hiltz apparently is a really good bluffer, and a day job as a bail bondsman, he moved back to Arizona, where he was introduced to Amanda Burbridge, an Arizona State Hall-of-Famer, who finished her career ranked third in program history with nearly 1,600 kills, including a Sun Devils' record 599 during her senior season in 2000. At the time, she was coaching at Phoenix College.

"She needed an assistant," Hiltz remembers. "It just kind of went from there."

Two years later, Hiltz got his first shot at Division-I when he took over the assistants' job at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, working under one of his former players, Ernest Vasquez. After just 12 months, he got his first crack to lead a D-I program when he was offered the head job at Nicholls State, where in just one season, he directed the Colonels to the Southland Conference Tournament. That eventually led him back to Louisiana-Monroe, where he coached both indoor and beach volleyball, notching the second-highest career indoor winning percentage in program history. Outside, his beach team made three trips to the National Championships. He also coached three AVCA All-Americans.

"What's funny is that if you ask the B-team assistant coach at San Marcos back in 1992 if I would ever be coaching in West Kansas, he probably would have laughed at you," Hiltz said. "But God has a plan for all of us if we simply have faith. So many things have led me to where I am now, and I finally feel like I have a place to call home. The support from administration is fantastic. The college and the community of Garden City has been welcoming, and I cannot wait to bring a winning tradition to Broncbuster volleyball."

Here's a recent Q&A with Hiltz:

How long have you been at Garden City Community College? 

A little over a year.

How did you get the job?

I pestered Colin a little bit after applying. Got an interview and I guess did well enough to get the job.

Most satisfying part about your job? 

Watching the growth and improvement in the young ladies both on and off the court. Their happiness when they find success in any area of their life is ultimately my happiness.

Person you look up to the most and why? 

My father. He has been my guide through everything in life. The things he has encountered and endured in his life make his successes that much greater. I can't explain what he has meant to me. I simply will say if I can be to my family and my student athletes just half of what he has been for me...I will feel immensely successful.

Favorite movie? 

That's a tough one. There are so many good ones out there. The Fast and Furious movies are always good, The Last Samurai is one of my favorites. All the Star Wars movies are great options. And Top Gun. Can't leave that one off the list!

What type of music do you listen to?

I'll listen to everything. Country and 80s are my go-to though.

Something most people don't know about you...

I played (Event 3) in the World Series of Poker and I worked as a bail bondsman for 3 years.

What's the best part or most challenge aspect of working in Athletics? 

Athletics is a nomadic profession. People and friends constantly coming and going. It's tough to have your friends leaving often. Whether it be by choice or otherwise. It's a good thing I enjoy meeting new people because that's a bit of a requirement for this profession.