The University of Mississippi Athletics
Blair Resigns Volleyball Post At Ole Miss
11/16/2001 | Volleyball
Nov. 16, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - John Blair, who for the past 16 years has served as the head volleyball coach at Ole Miss, announced Friday that he is resigning from his position with the Lady Rebels.
"We would like to thank John Blair for his loyal service to The University of Mississippi over the last 16 years," said Ole Miss Athletic Director John Shafer. "We certainly wish John well in whatever he decides his future holds."
Shafer has selected Associate Athletic Director Lynnette Johnson to begin the immediate search to hire a new head volleyball coach. "As our Senior Women's Administrator, Lynnette will take the lead in our search," Shafer said.
Blair, who was the Dean of Southeastern Conference volleyball coaches, became the winningest volleyball coach at Ole Miss and ended his coaching career with a 210-284 record.
During his tenure at Ole Miss, Blair made sure his players were successful both on the court and in the classroom. He coached six All-SEC performers and had 70 players make the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
In 1996, the Lady Rebels led the conference with a record eight members named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Seven Lady Rebels earned SEC Academic honors last year as well as this year. In 1995 and 1999, six members made the list, which was the second largest number in the conference. In addition, five of his players earned Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
Blair came to Ole Miss from the University of Tennessee, where he served as an assistant coach for three years. The Lady Volunteers captured the 1983 and 1984 SEC volleyball titles during his tenure.
Prior to Tennessee, Blair was the head coach at the University of Illinois from 1980-82, after spending a year as an assistant coach for the program. The 1980 team participated in the AIAW National Championship Tournament.
Blair, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Tennessee in 1976. He played volleyball for the Volunteers under Bud Fields, who led the team to a ninth-place finish in the open nationals in 1976.
BLAIR'S COACHING RECORD AT OLE MISS
YEAR RECORD PCT. SEC PCT.2001 7-18 .280 3-12 .2002000 15-16 .484 5-10 .3331999 10-19 .345 1-14 .0671998 9-23 .281 2-13 .1331997 12-18 .400 7-8 .4661996 19-11 .633 7-8 .4661995 17-17 .500 4-11 .2671994 9-20 .310 6-9 .4001993 3-28 .107 0-14 .0001992 11-22 .333 3-11 .2141991 13-18 .419 4-10 .2861990 14-10 .583 4-6 .4001989 30-12 .714 4-4 .5001988 6-17 .261 1-6 .1431987 15-20 .429 1-5 .1661986 20-15 .571 1-5 .166TOTAL 210-284 .425 50-134 .271