Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Texas A&M on August 28, 2026
Volleyball
at Texas A&M
.png&width=100&type=webp){kind=icon}
.png&width=100&type=webp)
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: USA Volleyball
GCU's Liu aids historic U.S. gold-medal win
8/9/2021 8:05:00 AM | Volleyball, Paul Coro
Lopes assistant coach served Olympic champions as performance analyst
Just a month ago, the idea seemed surreal to Jeff Liu. On Saturday, being part of the first U.S. women's volleyball team to win Olympic gold was real.
Liu, a Grand Canyon women's volleyball assistant coach, served a historic women's volleyball team's performance analyst as the U.S. won quarterfinal, semifinal and gold-medal matches in three-set sweeps. U.S. teams have played at the Olympics since 1984, but never took the top podium spot until Saturday's 25-21, 25-20, 25-14 victory against previously undefeated Brazil in Tokyo.
"Words can't express this feeling of gratitude for the people I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by," Liu wrote on Instagram. "USA Volleyball has now won its first ever Olympic Gold Medal in women's volleyball.
"History was made here in Tokyo, in the city where volleyball was first introduced as the first ever women's team sport at the Olympics in 1964. But this team, this staff, this group of amazing human beings was already one for the history books. Grateful. Every. Day."
Liu has been U.S. head coach and volleyball legend Karch Kiraly's performance analyst since 2017, giving Liu experiences that have benefited the GCU women's volleyball program. In his second year on Lopes head coach Tim Nollan's staff, Liu has brought his two teams together for the young GCU players to hear from experienced stars and he uses the habits of those top national players as examples for the Lopes.
"With the national team, I'm on the court," Liu told GCULopes.com before the Olympics. "I'm giving feedback. I'm running drills. I'm running scout sessions. I'm putting scouting reports together too. I'm just an extension of our coaching staff. It's just, on game days, I'm more focused on relaying information from the baseline to get a different view."
A nonstop 2021 will continue soon for Liu, who was coaching GCU in a delayed spring season before joining the national team three days later. He plans to be back in Phoenix with the Lopes for preseason training this week after GCU finished second in the WAC last season.
Only the athletes receive gold medals, but Liu will have photos with a gold medal and memories replaying through his mind as he pursues another program first – a WAC championship for GCU.
Liu, a Grand Canyon women's volleyball assistant coach, served a historic women's volleyball team's performance analyst as the U.S. won quarterfinal, semifinal and gold-medal matches in three-set sweeps. U.S. teams have played at the Olympics since 1984, but never took the top podium spot until Saturday's 25-21, 25-20, 25-14 victory against previously undefeated Brazil in Tokyo."Words can't express this feeling of gratitude for the people I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by," Liu wrote on Instagram. "USA Volleyball has now won its first ever Olympic Gold Medal in women's volleyball.
"History was made here in Tokyo, in the city where volleyball was first introduced as the first ever women's team sport at the Olympics in 1964. But this team, this staff, this group of amazing human beings was already one for the history books. Grateful. Every. Day."
Liu has been U.S. head coach and volleyball legend Karch Kiraly's performance analyst since 2017, giving Liu experiences that have benefited the GCU women's volleyball program. In his second year on Lopes head coach Tim Nollan's staff, Liu has brought his two teams together for the young GCU players to hear from experienced stars and he uses the habits of those top national players as examples for the Lopes."With the national team, I'm on the court," Liu told GCULopes.com before the Olympics. "I'm giving feedback. I'm running drills. I'm running scout sessions. I'm putting scouting reports together too. I'm just an extension of our coaching staff. It's just, on game days, I'm more focused on relaying information from the baseline to get a different view."
A nonstop 2021 will continue soon for Liu, who was coaching GCU in a delayed spring season before joining the national team three days later. He plans to be back in Phoenix with the Lopes for preseason training this week after GCU finished second in the WAC last season.
Only the athletes receive gold medals, but Liu will have photos with a gold medal and memories replaying through his mind as he pursues another program first – a WAC championship for GCU.
"It would be really cool to beat my mom's record." - Aubrey Goodere | Volleyball
Tuesday, January 06
Bella Nunez | Women's Volleyball
Monday, November 10
Kendra Potts Post Match Press Conference | GCU vs NAU 9.7.25
Monday, September 08
“You don’t know what it’s like.” | The Lope-a-Palooza Experience
Saturday, August 30