Inspirational, motivated, intense, passionate, visionary. These are some of the words that team members of the 2008 PUC Women's Volleyball Team use to describe their new coach, Eli Cuenca, after meeting with him for only a few days. And yet, their description of him is right on point with what his career highlights attest.
Coach Cuenca began coaching ten years ago for a boy's varsity volleyball team in Lafayette, Colorado. "I started my coaching career with an 8-1 record and a conference title which turned into a state title and I was hooked," he recalled. From there, Cuenca moved to southern California to coach the girl's volleyball team at Loma Linda Academy. He spoke with pride as he remembered his two seasons coaching there, "We boasted a record of 45-5, with my second season as coach ending in an undefeated league season and title and a semifinal finish in CIF championships." Cuenca attributed the success he achieved at Loma Linda to the attainment of his next position at Walla Walla University as the Asst./Head Coach for both the women's and men's teams. From there, Cuenca was able to start his own dynamic and successful club team for JR-Girl volleyball players.
When asked why he chose to come coach at Pacific Union College , Coach Cuenca replied, "PUC offered me something I was looking for...The opportunity for me to take on a young team, and basically start fresh with a program looking to change its image. That was too much to pass up," he concluded.
With a résumé such as his, it is easy to see why Coach Cuenca has big plans for PUC's women's volleyball program. "We will be putting down the cornerstone that will lead to championship opportunities," Cuenca said in reference to his plans for the team this season. But championships and titles is not what Cuenca is most excited about. "There is nothing sweeter for me as a coach, than to look into an athlete's eyes and see the purest of dedication and commitment to excellence." He explained. "These young ladies all share this look. They want to be excellent, not just in volleyball but in life…I am blessed to have the opportunity to train such a hungry group of Student-Athletes." And PUC is equally blessed to have him, not just on the volleyball court, but on our entire campus.
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