Kevin Kustura

Men's Volleyball

Kustura Chosen to Lead Men’s Volleyball Program

Jan. 8, 2025 - North Central College senior athletic director Jim Miller '86 has announced the hiring of Kevin Kustura as the second head coach in men's volleyball program history, prior to the Cardinals' 10th season of competition.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Kustura to North Central after successful stops at Aurora University and other NCAA Division III institutions," Miller said. "He was a highly recommended candidate with a lot of relevant experience at the DIII level."

Kustura comes to campus following a three-year stint at Aurora University as the associate head coach for both the men's and women's programs. During his time with the Spartan men's team, he coached nine all-conference players in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, including the NACC Player of the Year in 2023 and the NACC Freshman of the Year in 2022. Aurora also competed in its first-ever NACC Tournament Championship match. Kustura had similar successes on the women's side, helping coach Aurora to a 2022 NACC regular season and tournament championship while earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. He coached an American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All-American during his tenure.

Kustura also served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Aurora, implementing programs for the Spartan volleyball, football, ice hockey, golf and softball programs.

"This head coaching opportunity is the right fit for me due to the reputation of North Central as well as the fit with current team members," said Kustura. "The values and goals of the institution align with my own and I feel that this could be a place where I stay for a long time. I also feel that I am set up for success both professionally and personally at North Central."

Prior to his time at Aurora, Kustura was the head men's volleyball coach at Hiram College (Ohio). He led the Terriers to a 10-2 record, the best record in program history, and won the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference for the first time in school history while being named the AMCC Coach of the Year. Hiram also made the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

Kustura served as the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Trinity College (Conn.) and as a graduate assistant men's and women's volleyball coach at Wittenberg University (Ohio). He helped guide the Tigers women's program to a 27-3 record, a conference championship and an NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen berth. Kustura earned his master of arts in athletic coaching from Wittenberg in 2019.

As a setter at California Baptist University, he was a two-time academic all-conference player.

"My coaching style is based on building relationships with the student-athletes. I want to establish relationships that last beyond the court and beyond graduation. My program philosophy builds off that by being competitive in the gym and in the classroom. Simply put, I think this is a place where we can have sustained success to go along with the success that the program has already achieved," Kustura said.

Kustura officially began his duties Monday, Jan. 6, in advance of the Cardinals' first match of the 2025 season against Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday, Jan. 18. The first serve is set for 2 p.m. inside R. John Buuck Field House.

"I want to thank Jim Miller and the other administrators who have given me the opportunity to lead the North Central men's volleyball program. I am thrilled to be here and cannot wait to connect with the athletes, community, and alumni. With a solid foundation beneath us, I'm fired up to launch this era of Cardinal volleyball and take our team to championship heights," Kustura said.

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