ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University athletic department is excited to announce the hiring of Noah Salazar as its next head men's volleyball coach. Coach Salazar joins the Regents after having both played at coached volleyball at the NCAA Division III level. He becomes the third head men's volleyball coach in program history. 

"The first thing we all immediately noticed about Noah is how passionate he is," Director of Athletics Jason Mulligan stated. "He has a contagious energy that combined with his knowledge and experience in NCAA Division III volleyball will greatly benefit both his program and our department. I look forward to the future of Rockford University men's volleyball under Noah's direction."

"I want to begin by thanking Michael Sopocy for mentoring me during my time at North Park University," Coach Salazar said. "Coming from Minnesota where boys' volleyball was non-existent, I was lucky enough to start my career as a manager under Ramon Martinez at Brooklyn Center High School, and then go on to play collegiate men's volleyball. I would also like to thank Jason Mulligan and the search committee for entrusting me with the future of the Rockford University men's volleyball program. I am excited to make a positive impact on the lives of student-athletes both on and off the court and make history at Rockford!"

Immediately prior to coming to Rockford, Salazar spent one year as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's volleyball teams at his alma mater, North Park University. Salazar was heavily involved in all aspects of both programs including: recruiting, scouting, practice planning, player development, academic progress monitoring, and gameday preparation. With Salazar on staff, the women's program finished with a 25-7 overall record, including a perfect 8-0 mark in the CCIW. The Vikings also won both the CCIW regular season and tournament titles and clinched a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The men's team played just its fourth full season in program history. The Vikings faced an incredible seven ranked teams this past year, including a 3-2 upset win over #14 North Central College. 

Salazar also played four years of collegiate men's volleyball at North Park University, where he was a member of the leadership council and a team captain. He played in 87 of the team's 91 matches, including a total of 271 sets, over his four-year career. He served as both an outside hitter and a defensive specialist for the Vikings, finishing with 383 digs, 213 kills and 50 aces. North Park had its two most successful seasons in program history during Salazar's junior and senior years. In 2022, the Vikings posted a 15-13 overall record and a 6-6 mark in CCIW play, both of which are school records. North Park followed that up by going 12-16 in 2023 and qualifying for the CCIW Tournament for the third straight year. 

Salazar also has coaching experience at both the club and youth levels. He spent two years coaching at the Minnesota Volleyball Academy (MVA), where his team achieved a top 5 ranking in the state of Minnesota. Salazar also at coached at the Energy Volleyball Club for two years in the Chicagoland area. 

Salazar graduated from North Park University with a bachelor's degree in Physics.