Kentucky VB assistant Anders Nelson accepts Vanderbilt head coaching gig

Vanderbilt is reinstating its volleyball program and dipped into Lexington to pick up the team’s first head coach.

On Friday afternoon, it was announced that Kentucky volleyball associate head coach Anders Nelson would be resigning from his position with the Wildcats and accepting the head coaching job with the Commodores. Vanderbilt has not featured a volleyball team since 1980 and will begin play once again in the fall of 2025. Nelson has been an integral piece of Kentucky’s recent run of success, spending 11 total seasons under head coach Craig Skinner.

During his time at UK, Nelson, 35, was responsible for working with the middle blockers while also serving as Skinner’s defensive coordinator. He was previously an assistant at Arkansas in 2012.

💙 #ThankYouAnders 💙@UKCoachSkinner x @VBDers pic.twitter.com/jrE0PlZBqM

— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB) December 23, 2022

Nelson, who received his master’s degree from UK in May 2018, is credited as the “lead force” behind Kentucky’s No. 1 overall recruiting class in 2019, along with the top 10 finishes in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2023. He’s been the associate head coach for the previous seven seasons, including all six of the Wildcats’ consecutive SEC championships.

“Today is an incredibly bittersweet day for me. I am thrilled to begin a new chapter of my life by accepting the head coaching position at Vanderbilt. However, as with any decision like this, I am leaving behind a special group of people and a great volleyball program at Kentucky.

Kentucky Volleyball has meant more to me than I can say. I sincerely love this program and all of those who are associated with it. My experience is proof that if you pour your heart into this program, it will reward you back.

I want to thank Craig Skinner for taking a chance on me and helping me grow into the coach I am today. I also want to thank Mitch Barnhart and Katie Eiserman for their leadership and guidance during my tenure at UK. To the players who challenged me daily to become a better version of myself, thank you.

While it’s been an honor to wear Blue and White for the last decade, Mark and I couldn’t be more excited to take the next step in our journey.”

Anders Nelson

While it’ll still be a few more years, Nelson will soon get the chance to go up against his former squad. Vanderbilt Athletics Director, Candace Lee, reinstated the volleyball program back in April of this year. The Commodores will compete in the Southeastern Conference after decades of being the only school in the league without a volleyball program.