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Daniel Villarreal Joins Navy Women's Basketball Staff

Published

7 months ago

June 10, 2025

Daniel Villarreal Joins Navy Women's Basketball Staff

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Following the announcement of Sam Brunelle on Monday, the second assistant coach to be announced to Head Coach Tim Taylor‘s 2025-26 Navy women’s basketball staff is Daniel Villarreal. A talented coach with an emphasis on player development and film study, he comes to Annapolis following a successful run in the NBA and WNBA, most recently with the Washington Wizards.

Villarreal’s coaching career has seen him bookend time in the professional ranks around stints in the collegiate game at UCLA and Florida State. The first stop in his innovative and influential career was as a basketball operations and video intern with the Washington Mystics in 2016. Villarreal continued to impress those within the Mystics organization and moved up to an analytics and video consultant role before becoming the head analytics and video coordinator in 2018.

He branched out into the women’s collegiate ranks during his offseasons with the Mystics, first taking a position on UCLA’s video staff for the 2017-18 campaign before switching coasts and joining Florida State’s operation as the head video coordinator. During his two combined seasons with the Bruins and Seminoles, Villarreal’s squads went a combined 51-17 and had successful runs in the NCAA Tournaments both years.

Still with the Mystics during their summer-based season, he began crossing the arena and assisting with the video operations of the Washington Wizards starting in 2019-20. With his foot in the door into the NBA, Villarreal quickly moved up the corporate ladder and was elevated to a full-time position with the Wizards in the roles of Assistant Video Coordinator/Player Development in 2022-23 and later assistant coach for the organization’s summer league team. Prior to the 2023-24 season, Villarreal was named the Head Video Coordinator for the Wizards. In that role he coordinated all video room responsibilities for five video/player development assistants, managed the scouting process and workflows for players and coaching and assisted with on-court player development workouts and practices.

A proven winner, Villarreal helped the Mystics first advance to the 2018 WNBA Finals before coming back the next year and securing the 2019 WNBA Championship after posting a league-best 26-8 regular season mark. He coached Elena Delle Donne, the league’s MVP that year, and later became the primary development coach for Myisha Hines-Allen, who finished runner-up for the 2020 WNBA Most Improved Player Award.

“I could not be more pleased to add someone of Daniel’s caliber to our program and the Naval Academy,” remarked Taylor. “As I stated with Sam Brunelle’s hiring, it was paramount for us to find positive professionals with high-level basketball experiences either playing or coaching who have a passion for teaching and developing players as well as committed to creating staff and program synergy. We were also looking for candidates with different skill sets that we could integrate with our staff. I feel we hit a home run with Daniel.

“Daniel is a respected professional within the highest levels of basketball. He has worked with some of my close friends in the business during his nine years at the NBA and WNBA level. When you are receiving calls from the likes of John Thompson III, Mike Thibault, David Adkins and Sue Semrau raving about his work ethic, professionalism, character and teaching ability, you take notice. These are people I trust and once I met Daniel, it was obvious why they felt that way. His authenticity, humility and care for others was so evident.

“In his role in the WNBA and NBA, he spent a tremendous amount of time with on and off the court player development. I was impressed with his work with Anthony Gill and Myisha Hines-Allen and their trust in him. His commitment to being in the gym and putting in sweat equity with his players through high level workouts as well as mentoring them off the court was a constant focus of our conversations. You could see he is a teacher first in his workouts with our coaches. Plus, he has been a part of very successful programs and has helped build championship teams. But most importantly, throughout the process, Daniel had a “no job is beneath me mentality” which I feel is an important trait for the continued success and elevation of our program.

“Daniel has a unique skill set that we have not had in my time at Navy. He will improve our scouting and use of technology as well as bringing new and fresh basketball ideas to our program. You could see the attention to detail and knowledge in his scouts he presented to our staff. His commitment to creating staff cohesiveness and commitment to learning and growing every day was refreshing.”

“I am thrilled to be joining Coach Taylor’s staff,” Villarreal said. “His commitment to the Naval Academy, the staff, and the athletes is rooted in a deep love for people and a genuine care for their development. He values relationships and is both a family man and a servant leader. It is a joy and honor to have the opportunity to support Coach Taylor’s vision and to help build upon the great work that he and his team have already done. I couldn’t be prouder to serve our athletes who have chosen to serve our nation while preparing to become its future leaders. Go Navy!”

A 2012 graduate, Villarreal holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Southern California, as well as a master of arts in sports industry management from Georgetown University, that he attained in 2017.

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Sports

Having A Ball: Chautauqua Lake Central School Hosts Alumni Volleyball Tournament | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

4 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Pictured is one of the groups of participants in the recent Chautauqua Lake Central School Alumni Volleyball Tournament.
Submitted photo

MAYVILLE — Recently, Chautauqua Lake Central School hosted its first ever Alumni Volleyball Tournament, welcoming volleyball alumni back to the court for a day of friendly competition, shared memories, and community connection.

Varsity Volleyball coach Joanne Meadows came up with the idea a few months ago with the help of her brothers, David Sturm, who coaches Junior Varsity, and Eric Sturm who is the assistant coach for both teams. The goal was to create an opportunity for both former and current players to reconnect, play for fun, and celebrate the tradition of volleyball at Chautauqua Lake Central School.

Meadows said the tournament did just that, adding that it not only celebrated the tradition of the program but also strengthened the sense of community among players across generations.

“It was a great day for past and present Mayville and Chautauqua Lake Volleyball players and shows why this program has been so special for so many years,” Meadows said. “The camaraderie in the gym was amazing to see.”

To get the tournament going and gather interest, Eric Sturm created a Facebook page for the event and invited alumni from across the years through it. Some alumni responded with full teams already, while others reached out individually and were placed on rosters, with five teams of about nine players formed overall.

Participants ranged from alumni dating back to the Class of 1993 to current students. Participants were both men and women, and Chautauqua Lake officials said it served to create a unique mix of experience, camaraderie and fun.

“We are so blessed to have the Meadows family coaching at Chautauqua Lake,” Chautauqua Lake Superintendent Josh Liddell said. “Their leadership, and the incredible support of all the alumni who returned to play and reconnect, helped make an event that truly celebrated the impressive volleyball tradition and community they’ve built over the past three decades.”

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Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

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4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

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Former Illini basketball sharpshooter Luke Goode engaged to Illinois volleyball star Kayla Burbage

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4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Love is in the air for two of Champaign’s top athletes in recent years. Former Illini men’s basketball wing Luke Goode popped the question to Illinois volleyball middle blocker Kayla Burbage, the couple shared via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Proverbs 18:22: ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord,’” Goode wrote. “Going into the New Years as future Mr. and Mrs. Goode!”

Goode spent the first three years of his college career in Champaign, graduating from the Gies School of Business in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. After his sophomore season was cut short due to a foot injury, Goode bounced back as a junior, playing in all 38 games for the 2024 Elite Eight team. That season, the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter averaged 5.7 points and shot 38.9% from three on just over four attempts per game.

Last season, Goode spent his final year of eligibility playing for his home state Indiana Hoosiers before turning pro. He is currently suiting up for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League. In 11 games so far as a rookie, Goode is putting up 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in just above 20 minutes per game.

Burbage just finished up her final season of college volleyball. After spending her freshman campaign at Missouri, Burbage decided to make the move to Champaign. As a sophomore and junior, Burbage played in every match on Illinois’ schedule: 60 total. A shoulder injury sidelined the 6-foot-4 North Carolina native for her senior season, but she returned for a graduate year in 2025. In her final season at Huff Hall, Burbage ranked second in total blocks (82.0) for the Illini and had the fifth-most kills on the team (98).

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Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

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4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa (12-2, 3-0) defeated No. 20 Nebraska (12-2, 1-2) on New Years Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-76.

Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright dominated the day for the Hawkeyes with a career-high 24 points, three assists, and two steals. Senior Hannah Stuelke followed with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Huskers came out to a fast-paced 8-0 run to start the game. Stuelke got the scoring started for Iowa by getting to the line, sinking both free-throws. Three minutes into gameplay, the Hawkeyes began to capitalize on Nebraska miscues. Sophomore Ava Heiden led a 7-0 run for Iowa to bring the gap to 9-12 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Huskers contained a narrow 21-18 lead headed into the second quarter.

Wright drained a three-pointer to start the second period, tying up the score for the first time on the day. The Hawkeyes went on to gain nine points on seven forced Husker turnovers in the half. Heiden led the quarter with eight points going 4-for-4 on field goals. A combined 26 points, shooting 66.7 percent in the quarter, left Iowa behind 44-45 at half.

The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with an 8-2 run to put them in front. Iowa forced four Husker turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter, capitalizing five points off of them. Stuelke continued to be a difference maker for Iowa with seven points and two rebounds. This momentum pushed Iowa up 64-61 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Hawkeyes continued their defensive pursuit, forcing five more turnovers, adding to their total of 18 on the day. Senior Taylor McCabe hit a three-point basket at 4:32 to power Iowa to the end. The Hawkeyes pushed out a 15-6 run to secure a Hawkeye victory.

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Dallas Pulse set to make history in season opener at Comerica Center

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6 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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North Texas’ first women’s professional volleyball team will officially launch its inaugural season on Saturday, Jan. 10.

DALLAS — For North Texas volleyball fans, Saturday’s season opener represents more than just a first serve, it’s the beginning of something the region has been waiting for.

The Dallas Pulse, the region’s first women’s professional volleyball team, will open its inaugural season Saturday, Jan. 10, hosting the Indiana franchise at Comerica Center in Frisco.

The matchup marks the first Major League Volleyball game played by a Dallas-based team and is a milestone moment for the metroplex.

The Pulse will play 14 home matches during the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, giving local fans a consistent opportunity to support a women’s pro team built in their own backyard.

Saturday, Jan. 10 – Indy
Thursday, Jan. 15 – San Diego
Thursday, Feb. 5 – Omaha
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Grand Rapids
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Indy
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids
Friday, Feb. 27 – Orlando
Friday, March 13 – Columbus
Sunday, March 15 – Atlanta
Saturday, March 21 – San Diego
Thursday, March 26 – Atlanta
Friday, April 17 – Columbus
Friday, May 1 – Omaha
Sunday, May 3 – Orlando

Leading the team into its first season is head coach Shannon Winzer, who was named to the role in September. The January debut places Dallas at the center of the league’s early growth as women’s professional volleyball continues to gain momentum nationwide.

The timing feels right for North Texas. The region has long been a volleyball hotbed, producing elite athletes through nationally recognized club programs, championship high school teams and top-tier collegiate programs. Until now, many of those players, and the fans who followed them, had no local professional team to rally behind.

Dallas Pulse leadership told WFAA that they hope to change that.

Season ticket deposits are currently open, and the Pulse holds the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Volleyball Draft scheduled for Nov. 24, giving the team a chance to add a cornerstone player ahead of its debut season.

Major League Volleyball is also preparing for future growth, announcing plans to add expansion teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California in 2027.

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