Barry Goldberg (z’’l)

Barry Goldberg (February 21, 1962 – March 26, 2023), legendary American University Cassell Hall of Fame volleyball coach, was loved and respected around the world.

Goldberg spent 34 years building the volleyball program and setting records. He earned 10 Coach of the Year honors and guided the Eagles to 16 Patriot League Championship victories. His teams made 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, and his 812 wins ranked fourth among active Division I coaches at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Throughout his 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, Goldberg’s teams twice had extended NCAA success. The Eagles advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013 with straight-set wins over Georgia and Duke, and then made a second-round appearance in 2015 after sweeping Kentucky.

Goldberg graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication and rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984 and, while pursuing his master’s in counseling education, began his career as an assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh.

Goldberg’s impact on volleyball in the DC area is legendary. In addition to his Hall of Fame coaching career, he directed Metro American Volleyball Club for 15 years. In 2007, he founded the Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic at the Washington Convention Center, which has become a staple in the volleyball world, while also providing a large economic impact for the city of Washington D.C. At the Final Four in Louisville, KY in December, he will be inducted into AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Hall of Fame.

Goldberg is survived by his wife, Bonnie, their three children, and five grandchildren.