Daniel Coates became Lake Forest College's first head men's volleyball coach in the summer of 2025.
Coates joined the Foresters after two seasons as a graduate assistant at Concordia University Chicago, where he contributed to all aspects of the program’s coaching & administration. He served as the staff's recruiting coordinator, produced scouting reports, developed individualized corrective exercise programs for players, and helped formulate practice plans. The Cougars tied for fifth place in the 13-team Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2025 and had a program-best three All-NACC selections on the roster. Coates coached the league's leader in kills and points among freshmen in 2024, and under Coates the team's setter became the first in program history to surpass 2,000 career assists.
In addition to his position at the College, Coates works as a head coach for MOD Volleyball, coaching for the club at the boys 18U level. He also has experience at the club level with Borderline Volleyball Club in Oxford, Ohio, where he worked with the program's top 16s team.
Coates earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 2023. He served as a practice assistant for the women's varsity team for three years, providing offensive & defensive scouting assistance. He served as president of the school's club volleyball program and ran the largest home tournament in Miami Club Volleyball history.
He later earned his master's degree in applied exercise science from Concordia Chicago.
Coates continues to play semi-professionally for the DuPage Drakes in the Volleyball League of America.
