Former Head Coach - Lang Ping

"JENNY" LANG PING
U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach (2005-2008)

"Jenny" Lang Ping of China, one of the most famous and respected individuals in the history of volleyball, ended her fourth season as coach of the U.S. Women's National Team by leading the Americans to a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in her native country and city, Beijing, China.

Coaching in front of thousands of adoring fans in the arena and millions among a worldwide television audience, Lang Ping led Team USA to its first medal since 1992. The U.S. reached the Olympic Games gold-medal match for the first time since 1984, despite many experts believing the team was a longshot among a crowded field of medal contenders. The U.S. settled for the silver medal again in 2008, but handed winner Brazil its only set loss of the entire Games. During the 2008 Olympics Games, Team USA defeated second-ranked Italy, third-ranked Cuba, fifth-ranked Japan and host seventh-ranked China.

Lang Ping's was the only female head coach among the top 20 countries listed in the FIVB World Ranking prior to the Olympic Games. She has Olympic medal experience as both a player and coach while competing in the United States. During the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, she led her squad to the gold medal over Team USA in the championship match. As head coach of the 1996 Chinese Olympic team that competed in Atlanta, Lang Ping guided China to a silver medal. According to FIVB files, Lang Ping moved into exclusive company with Hungary women's team coach Gabriella Kotsis as female coaches to lead teams into multiple Olympics. Kotsis led Hungary during the golden era of Hungarian Volleyball, leading the country into three Olympic Games (1972, 1976, 1980).

The U.S. is 90-49 during Lang Ping's tenure, which included several tournaments using young rosters and a blend of veterans and newcomers seeking the right Olympic Games mix of players. Team USA finished 22-11 in 2008, not counting a 5-3 record against Chinese Club teams using a training team roster of 14 players. The U.S. finished fifth at the 2008 Pan American Cup with a 6-2 record using a youthful roster, but more importantly, qualification into the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix. Using predominantly the 2008 Olympic Games preliminary roster, the U.S. won one of three matches in Colorado Springs against top-ranked Brazil before traveling directly to the FIVB World Grand Prix. The Americans finished the Preliminary Round with a 7-2 record and the Final Round with a 2-3 mark and fourth place.

Lang Ping was selected by the United States Olympic Committee as torchbearer on the Olympic Torch Relay's only North American stop. She ran a leg of the relay on April 9 in San Francisco.

"I feel like I am on both sides with China and the United States," Lang Ping said prior to the 2008 Olympic Games. "I was selected by the U.S. delegation to run in the Olympic Torch Relay and I am currently the head coach for the U.S. National Team. On the other hand, I was also representing my home country, China. I am very proud to have experienced this opportunity."

Lang Ping guided the Americans to a 26-11 record in 2007 with three medal stands in five tournaments, but more importantly, a 2008 Olympic Games berth in the first qualifying tournament. Using youthful rosters at the Pan American Cup and Pan American Games, Team USA finished fourth and third, respectively. The U.S. finished seventh in the FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round with a 5-4 record that included a win over then-top-ranked Russia and two victories over Cuba. The Americans earned the silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Winnipeg, Canada, despite having a roster decimated by injuries. With the addition Olympians Logan Tom and Stacy Sykora to the roster, Team USA won its first eight matches at the grueling FIVB World Cup en route to claiming the bronze medal. The U.S. won nine of 11 matches in the tournament, including a five-set victory over season-ending top-ranked Brazil. With the medal stand appearance, the U.S. earned a berth into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, which is Lang Ping's hometown.

Lang Ping led the U.S. to a 16-12 record in 2006 when using a full U.S. senior national team against international competition. The U.S. finished fourth at the 2006 Pan American Cup, which qualified the Americans for the 2007 World Grand Prix. Team USA finished seventh at the 2006 World Grand Prix and was in contention for the final round up to the last match of the preliminaries. The U.S., ranked seventh in the latest FIVB world rankings, finished ninth at the 2006 World Championships after competing in the strongest first two round groupings based on world rankings.

In her first year as head coach, Lang Ping guided the USA Women's National Volleyball Team to a record of 26-15 with a very young roster with little international experience. After a slow start to the season, the Americans earned medals in each of their final three events: including a gold medal at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (at Puerto Rico); a gold medal at the NORCECA Championships (at Trinidad and Tobago); and a silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (at Japan). Team USA finished the year by winning 15 of its last 17 matches, including a stunning 3-0 win over 2004 Olympic gold medalist China at the Grand Champions Cup in November 2005.

Known as the "Iron Hammer" during her playing days, Lang Ping was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame as a player on Oct. 18, 2002, culminating an incredible career that saw her establish herself as one of the finest female volleyball players ever.

Lang Ping was a member of the Chinese women's national team that won an Olympic gold medal over the United States at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, a World Championship crown in 1982 and World Cup titles in 1981 and 1985. As a player for the Chinese team, she competed against current U.S. Women's National Team Assistant Coach Sue Woodstra, including the 1984 Olympic Games gold medal match, and Technical Coordinator Diane French, who was a 1980 U.S. Olympian.

Revered by Chinese fans, Lang Ping has been honored with her own postage stamp, had her wedding broadcast on Chinese national television and has stadiums named after her in China.

She later became a well-respected coach in multiple countries. From 1987-1989 and 1992-1993 Lang Ping was assistant coach at the University of New Mexico. From 1993-1995 she was the head coach of the Yaohan Professional World Superstar Team in Japan.

In 1995, Lang Ping became the head coach of the Chinese national team and eventually guided the squad to the silver medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Later that year she earned FIVB Coach of the Year honors. China also captured a silver medal at the 1998 World Championship, a bronze medal at the 1995 World Cup and a gold medal at the 1995 Asian Championships during her tenure. She resigned from her job as coach in early 1999.

After leaving China's national team program in 1999, Lang Ping was head coach for a number of championship teams in the Italian League.  Before accepting the Team USA position, she was the head coach of the Pieralisi Volleyball Club (Club Jesi). Among her players at the time in Italy was two-time USA Olympic libero Stacy Sykora.

As a coach, Lang Ping is a rarity in the international women's volleyball circles. She is the only female head coach among the top 20 countries listed in the FIVB World Ranking. Lang Ping has Olympic medal experience as both a player and coach while competing in the United States. According to FIVB files, Lang Ping will be moving into company of Hungary women's team coach Gabriella Kotsis as female coaches to lead teams into multiple Olympics. Kotsis led Hungary during the golden era of Hungarian Volleyball, leading the country into three Olympic Games (1972, 1976, 1980).

Lang Ping took over her current position from former Team USA coach Toshi Yoshida, who resigned late in 2004 to accept a professorship position at Biwako Seikei Sport College in Japan.

"(Jenny) is an individual who has been uncommonly successful in every phase of her career as a player and a coach, and her accomplishments are unequaled," USA Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal said.  "She won every major event as a player for China during her career and was clearly the dominant player in the world in the 1980s.

"And she transitioned more seamlessly than almost anyone in volleyball history to her role as a coach, leading China to a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and successfully coaching professionally in Italy for many years."

Others within USA Volleyball echo the sentiments that Lang Ping is the right choice to lead Team USA.

"Doug Beal has made a good and bold choice with the selection of ‘Jenny' Lang Ping as our new women's national team coach," said USA Volleyball President, Al Monaco  "It is a good choice for the continued solidification of the USA women among the world's elite, and it is a bold choice for the future of female volleyball coaches in the U.S.

"By hiring Jenny, USA Volleyball is sending a loud message - to the world that we are serious about having our women's team be the best, and to the nation that we are committed to the advancement of females at the top levels of coaching."