Derek Olson completed his fourth season with the Bears and second leading the program in 2021. The longtime pro on the AVP and FIVB beach volleyball tours was the acting head coach in 2020 and the interim head coach in 2021 after Meagan Owusu went on maternity leave in 2020 and then left the program just prior to the 2021 season.
Olson led the program in 2021 as Cal posted a 16-13 record and claimed five wins over ranked teams. The Bears also won four matches vs. top-10 opponents in 2021, as many top-10 wins as the Bears had in program history prior to 2021. The Bears defeated No. 6 Hawaii, No. 8 Arizona and twice defeated Stanford while they were ranked in the top 10. Cal also claimed a win over No. 11 Pepperdine to round out the year. Cal finished the year ranked No. 11 in the final AVCA Poll, the third straight year the Bears have finished in the top 11. The Bears rose to a program-high eighth early in the 2021 season.
Olson spent the 2020 season as Cal's acting head coach as head coach Meagan Owusu was away on maternity leave. Olson led the Bears to a 9-1 start to the season as the Bears rattled off nine consecutive wins after dropping their opener. That streak was capped with a victory over no. 5 USC at the Pac-12 South Tournament, Cal's second-ever win over a top-five team. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was cut short due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, halting Cal's season after 10 games. The Bears finished the year ranked ninth in both the AVCA and Dig Magazine polls, the highest end-of-year ranking in program history.
Regarded as an expert in the technical side of beach volleyball, Olson has played a major role in the Bears compiling their two best years during his two-season tenure. Cal compiled a record of 24-8 during his first season and followed that with a 22-9 mark in 2019. The 2019 season saw the Bears compile eight wins vs. teams ranked in the AVCA poll and take third place in the Pac-12 for the second straight season. The Bears earned the best final ranking in school history as they finished no. 11 in the final coaches poll.
An integral contributor to practice planning and execution as well as in-match coaching, Olson assisted Owusu in guiding the Bears to a No. 12 final national ranking and third-place finish in the rugged Pac-12 Conference in 2018.
During the summer of 2019, Olson coached with USA Volleyball as he worked with the Boys U21 team that competed at the U21 World Championship in Thailand. Olson also previously served as the beach director for the Coast Volleyball club in San Diego.
Olson has been an active competitor on the AVP Tour since 2008 and a part-time participant on the FIVB Tour since 2013. He's competed in 41 career events on the AVP Tour and 14 with the FIVB. He's also represented the United States in nine NORCECA events internationally.
Olson has finished in the top-10 in 13 career AVP events, including as high as fifth on three different occasions. His most recent fifth-place finish came in 2016. He has three top-10 finishes on the international FIVB Tour, with a high of fifth place in 2013.
Olson also qualified for the FIVB's prestigious Rio Grand Slam in 2016. He has nine top-10 finishes in NORCECA events, including a second-place finish in 2015.
Olson received his degree in human physiology from Oregon in 2006 and began coaching on the junior level in 2010.
