ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell volleyball head coach Trudy Vande Berg has announced the addition of Colton Reinholtz and Dante Pulphus as assistant coaches for the Big Red program.
"We are thrilled to welcome Colton and Dante to Cornell Volleyball," Vande Berg said. "They each bring unique experience as coaches along with a genuine passion for developing student-athletes on and off the court. Their energy, knowledge and character will strengthen every aspect of our program, and I can't wait to see the impact they'll have on our team."
Reinholtz Brings More Than a Decade of Collegiate Coaching Experience
Reinholtz arrives on East Hill following a diverse coaching and administrative background spanning more than a decade in collegiate volleyball.
Most recently, he served as an account executive with Short's Travel Management, where he worked with collegiate athletic departments to coordinate team travel and logistics. During that time, he remained active on the court as the head coach at Idaho One Volleyball Club and Kuna High School, helping develop athletes at both the club and prep levels.
Prior to his return to Idaho, Reinholtz spent the spring of 2023 as an assistant coach at the University of Montana, where he assisted with team travel while working closely with the Grizzlies' pin hitters, passing and serving units.
Before Montana, Reinholtz spent four seasons as Lafayette College's assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2018-22. During his tenure, the Leopards enjoyed one of the most successful stretches in program history, highlighted by a 15-10 overall record and a 12-4 Patriot League mark in 2021. The conference victories were the most in program history, and the season produced the Patriot League Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and three All-Patriot League selections. Reinholtz also guided the program as interim head coach from December 2018 through February 2019.
His collegiate coaching résumé also includes stops at Murray State, Western Colorado, Saint Francis, Hofstra and Utah State, giving him experience across multiple NCAA Division I and Division II programs.
With an extensive background in recruiting, player development, program operations and team administration, Reinholtz brings a well-rounded skill set to Cornell as the Big Red continues to build on its recent success.
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join Cornell Volleyball," Reinholtz said. "The amount of success they've been able to achieve over the last couple of years is impressive, and I look forward to building off that success as we continue to compete for Ivy League Championships."
Pulphus Adds Emerging Division I Experience
Pulphus joins the Big Red after serving as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he assists with practice planning, film breakdown, match preparation and recruiting while coordinating team travel, scheduling, equipment and campus visits in support of the Cougars' NCAA Division I program.
Prior to joining the SIUE staff, Pulphus gained valuable coaching experience as a student assistant at Marian University while also leading club teams with Fox Valley Performance and Wisconsin Blaze. His responsibilities have included player development, practice planning, tournament preparation and team operations, helping athletes grow both on and off the court.
A four-year member of the Marian University men's volleyball program, Pulphus appeared in 171 sets over 95 career matches, developing into one of the Sabres' primary defensive specialists. He totaled 293 career digs and 21 service aces during his playing career, highlighted by back-to-back seasons with 119 and 118 digs in 2024 and 2025, including a career-high 19-dig performance against Illinois Wesleyan as a senior. Before his collegiate career, he captained Back of the Yards College Prep to a conference championship and became the first student-athlete from the school to compete in collegiate men's volleyball.
Pulphus earned his bachelor's degree in Educational Studies from Marian University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Education with a concentration in Physical Education and Coaching Pedagogy at SIUE.
"I am honored and excited to join the Cornell Volleyball family," Pulphus said. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to coach at such a prestigious institution and to work alongside an amazing group of student-athletes. I look forward to helping our student-athletes grow both on and off the court, while contributing to the continued success and growth of the Cornell Volleyball program."
Reinholtz and Pulphus join the Big Red after bringing experience across Division I volleyball, recruiting, player development and program operations. Together, the pair add a blend of veteran coaching experience and an emerging young coaching perspective as Cornell continues to build on its recent success.
