UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Tom Tait, an integral part of the Penn State community as a coach, mentor and professor spanning across four decades, passed away on Jan. 10. He was 86.
Tait was often referred to as the "Father of Penn State Volleyball" as the first head coach of both programs, starting the women's program in 1976 and leading the men's program's transition to varsity status in 1977.
In 12 seasons as head coach of the men's volleyball team in Happy Valley, Tait led the Nittany Lions to eight conference titles and six appearances in the NCAA Final Four, including a trip to the national championship match in 1984. He was named the Eastern Collegiate Coach of the Year five times and was selected as the Volleyball Monthly National Coach of the Year in 1986. Tait coached 20 All-Americans during his tenure while posting an impressive record of 336-97. He set a standard of consistency as one of just three head coaches in the 48-year history as a varsity program.
"Coach Tait took Penn State from a very good regional club program to one of the best programs in the NCAA through his sheer force of personality and perseverance," said current Penn State men's volleyball head coach Mark Pavlik, who played for Tait in the early 80's. "He was so instrumental in my development, and the support he had for our program and the University is incalculable. Many of the things we have done over the past 30 years were molded by him, especially the culture and relationships we have with our alumni. He is the reason that not only Penn State volleyball improved, but the reason that volleyball improved across the state of Pennsylvania during the 70's and 80's."
Tait was also one of just three head coaches in the 48-year history of the Penn State women's volleyball program. He laid the groundwork as the team's head coach for the first three seasons from 1976-78 before handing over the reins to Russ Rose. The upward trajectory of the program was almost immediate as the Nittany Lions followed their six-win inaugural season with 25 wins in year two and 20 in year three. The 1977 and 1978 teams each qualified for the Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) Tournament, which existed before the NCAA first sponsored a women's championship tournament in 1981.
"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Tom Tait but glad the opportunity exists to focus on his incredible impact and lifelong dedication to the sport of volleyball, as well as his positive education of countless students over his career," said Rose, who coached the Penn State women's team for 43 seasons after succeeding Tait. "I was fortunate to spend a great deal of time with Tom as we shared an office for a number of years, and I could always depend on him to present his thoughts on the game and the women's program. He was recognized as one of the most esteemed professors during his tenure and his expectations for his students mirrored his pursuit of volleyball excellence. In my mind, Tom's greatest strengths were his intelligence and competitive spirit. His leadership in coaching education and his willingness to share his time and expertise with others, no matter what the level, is unparalleled. He will be deeply missed by his former players, students and those of us that could call him a colleague and friend."
"Coach Tait was instrumental in the success of both the women's and men's volleyball programs at Penn State, not just during his time as a head coach, but everything that was accomplished in the years after him," said Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who just finished her second season as the head coach of Penn State women's volleyball. "He made a huge impact on Penn State as a whole as his passion and love for the University was unmatched. Coach Tait did so much great work on and off the court. He will always be remembered as a fearless leader that put in the time and effort to help make volleyball at Penn State what it is today."
Tait's contributions to the sport were recognized by the AVCA with an induction into the organization's Hall of Fame in 2003. He is also in the EIVA Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural class in 2012. He received EIVA Coach Emeritus status in 1990 and was named an All-Time Great Coach by USA Volleyball in 2007.
Before he was approached to lead Penn State's volleyball programs Tait spent time as an assistant track and field coach at the University. He earned a doctorate in kinesiology and exercise science from Penn State in 1969 shortly before joining the University as a faculty member in a role that he would hold from 1969 to 1996. Tait went on to join the faculty at Brevard College as a professor and head of the exercise science department from 1996 to 2006.
"He was an educator first and foremost," Pavlik said. "And if you talk to any of our alumni that had him in class or just any of his former students, they will tell you that he was the best professor they ever had."