Assistant Coaching Staff

ASSISTANT COACHES

COLIN McMILLAN

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

15th Season Ohio State, ’00

Beginning his 15th season at Penn State in 2021-22, associate Head Coach Colin McMillan continues to be an invaluable asset to the Penn State men's volleyball program as one of the top volleyball minds in the sport. He is involved in all aspects of the program, including video analysis, training the middle hitters and defensive strategy.

McMillan was promoted to associate head coach during the summer of 2016 following nine years as an assistant coach for Mark Pavlik and the Nittany Lions. He arrived in fall 2007, prior to the program winning its 2008 National Championship, and has contributed to 10 EIVA titles, including the most recent in 2021, and eight trips to the NCAA Final Four.

A former Ohio State standout (1997-2000), McMillan trained within the United States National pipeline and competed internationally for various clubs around the world. A 6-11 middle hitter, McMillan was a member of the 2001 United States team that captured the gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing, China, and also was a member of the U.S. World League team in 2001. From 2000 to 2005, he was the starting middle hitter for the Besiktas Volleyball Club in Istanbul, Turkey, and also played for Castelo da Maia in Portugal, Marseille 13PVB in France, and Los Rebeldes de Moca in Puerto Rico, winning the Superior League Championship in 2000.

McMillan has also coached internationally with USA Volleyball. Most recently, he served as an assistant for the USA Volleyball U19 Team at the FIVB World Championships in the summer of 2019. He assisted the Junior Men's National Team in winning the NORCECA qualifying tournament in Gatineau, Canada, in 2010. McMillan was an assistant coach for the U.S. Junior National Team which finished fourth in the 2011 World Junior Championships in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

A four-time All-MIVA selection and a four-year scholar athlete at Ohio State, McMillan was named to the 2000 National Collegiate Championship All-Tournament Team. He led the Buckeyes to a national runner-up title that year and finished among the top five in hitting percentage all four years. He is the career record holder at OSU in hitting percentage (.481), block assists (473) and total blocks (548) and sits eighth in aces (59), second in blocks per game (1.56) and seventh in kills (1,206). During McMillan's tenure, the Buckeyes accumulated a 90-21 overall record with three first-places finishes in the MIVA.

A graduate assistant coach for Ohio State during the 2003 season, McMillan has served as a club coach for several programs, including the Excel Volleyball Club 18 boys program in Glenview, Illinois. He guided the Next Level 16 boys program in Franklin, Wisconsin, in 2005 and 2006 and coached and supervised the Stellar Sports LLC 15 girls club team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with duties including practice and match coaching as well as travel and onsite supervision.

McMillan graduated from Ohio State in 2000 with a double major in international business and marketing and has worked outside of the volleyball community with such corporations as DePuy Orthopedics and Cosentino North America.

RYAN WALTHALL

ASSISTANT COACH

7th Season Penn State, ’07

A former Nittany Lion student-athlete with plenty of postseason experience, assistant coach Ryan Walthall begins his seventh season on the Penn State men's volleyball coaching staff in 2021-22. His expertise has helped the Nittany Lions become one of the best serve-receive teams in the nation for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Walthall returned to his alma mater in 2015 after coaching stops with the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club and as an assistant coach for University of California Santa Barbara. He served as the Gauchos' offensive coordinator, helped with recruiting and handled video analysis for both scouting and player development. Additionally, he was in charge of organizing team travel.

Walthall arrived in Santa Barbara from Ohio University where he served as an assistant coach for the women's volleyball team. With the Bobcats, he was the team's defensive coordinator and also provided scouting analysis on Ohio opponents. Walthall found early success in Ohio, as his defense led the conference in both opponent hitting percentage (.172) and blocks per set (2.75), while also tallying the fifth-most digs (16.24/set).

Walthall spent three seasons as an assistant at the University of North Florida prior to his tenure at Ohio. As the top assistant for the Ospreys, Walthall helped UNF to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Championships in back-toback seasons. In 2011, he coached a defense that boasted the league leaders in blocking, digs and opponent attack percentage.

Walthall started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons with perennial power Nebraska. While a member of the Cornhuskers' staff, he assisted with video scouting, film breakdown and team training during practices while also helping with day-to-day administrative office duties.

Walthall was a four-year letterwinner at Penn State under head coach Mark Pavlik. With the Nittany Lions, he was a part of four national semifinal squads, including the 2006 season when the team competed in the National Championship match.

During his senior campaign in 2007, he ranked 15th nationally and led Penn State with a 2.33 digs-per-set average. While he served as a defensive and serving specialist during his first two seasons at Penn State, Walthall made the move to libero as a junior and helped the Nittany Lions to a 21-8 record and a national runner-up finish.

Walthall earned his bachelor's degree in recreation, park, and tourism management at Penn State in May 2009.

Originally from Bremerton, Washington, Walthall attended Woodbridge High School where he was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection and team MVP as a senior. At the club level, he competed for the LBC, helping the team to the 2003 Junior Olympic National Championship.