PEORIA, Ill. -- Carol Price-Torok has been named the ninth head coach in Bradley Volleyball history, according to an announcement by Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds Thursday.
Price-Torok takes over the head coaching duties at Bradley after spending the previous eight seasons at Arkansas, where she was associate head coach and recruiting coordinator the last four seasons. During her time in Fayetteville, AR, she helped the Razorbacks to back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids in 2012 and 2013.
“Carol is a proven winner and an exceptional leader,” said Reynolds. “She helped transform Arkansas into one of the top programs in the SEC and she has experienced success at every stop in her career as both a student-athlete and a coach. Her experience, attention to detail and perseverance all will be great assets to Bradley Volleyball and the growth of the program.”
Prior to her arrival at Arkansas for the 2008 season, the Razorbacks were ranked 140 in the RPI, but climbed to 36 by her fifth season (2012) with the program and earned their first NCAA Tournament spot since 2006 to cap a 22-10 season. After a 7-23 first season in Fayetteville, AR, Price-Torok helped Arkansas improve its record in each of the next four seasons, culminating with a 13-7 SEC record and second-place West Division finish in 2012.
“I would like to thank Dr. Chris Reynolds and Bradley University for this amazing opportunity,” said Price-Torok. “I would also like to thank Robert Pulliza for innumerable experiences and support over the last eight years. Arkansas is a special place that has given me opportunities to work with great people and student-athletes both on and off the court. I am looking forward to those same opportunities at Bradley.”
The Razorbacks were .500 or better in SEC play in four of her last five seasons and posted a combined 88-66 overall mark over the past five campaigns.
Individually, Arkansas produced four All-Americans, five all-region picks and eight All-SEC selections during her tenure. Price-Torok helped lure the 16th-best recruiting class in the country to Fayetteville, AR, in 2013 after the 2012 recruiting class was 26th nationally.
“There is room for tremendous growth for Bradley Volleyball and I am very humbled to be the next head coach to lead the program into a new chapter," stated Price-Torok. "I am ready to get to work and share my love for volleyball and passion for people with Bradley University and the surrounding community.”
A 2005 graduate of Texas A&M, Price-Torok was an assistant coach for the 2006 and 2007 seasons at Texas-San Antonio before moving to Arkansas. While with the Roadrunners, she helped guide UTSA to a 19-13 overall record during the 2006 season and mentored a pair of First-Team All-Southland Conference selections.
Price-Torok ventured into coaching upon wrapping up her collegiate career at Texas A&M, serving as an assistant coach at Southwestern University during the 2005 season. In her one season in Georgetown, TX, she helped the Pirates to the NCAA Division III Tournament and coached an all-region performer in addition to two individuals who garnered all-conference honors.
During her collegiate career, she was part of four consecutive NCAA Tournament teams at Texas A&M and started her final two years at outside hitter after playing middle blocker as a freshman and sophomore for the Aggies. The team's 2003 offensive MVP, Price-Torok was selected as Big XII Player of the Week twice during her senior year and was a Second-Team Big XII Scholar-Athlete that same season. She helped the Aggies to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2001 along with a Sweet 16 appearance in 2003.
Off the court, she served as a student-athlete advisory committee representative at Texas A&M and also lettered for the Aggies women's basketball team during the 2003-04 season.
Originally from Fenton, MI, Price-Torok and her husband Matt have two children: Jaxen and Kaden.
