Ernesto Cazares Position: Volunteer Assistant Experience: Second year

Ernesto Cazares begins his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Cal women's volleyball program.

"Ernesto was a key member of our staff last year," said head coach Rich Feller. "As a volunteer coach, we depended on his energy and strong right arm. He was a tireless worker and his demeanor complimented our coaching staff."

Cazares, 33, has several years of volleyball coaching experience, as he was most recently the co-head coach of the 17's team at City Beach Volleyball Club of Santa Clara. Calif. during the 2002 and 2003 seasons, as well as being a volleyball instructor for the City Beach Sports Club. He was also assistant women's volleyball coach at De Anza College in Cupertino, Calif. from 1994-96.

Before assisting De Anza College's women's volleyball program, Cazares played on De Anza's men's volleyball team as an outside hitter and setter from 1992-93. He still competes in indoor and outdoor USVBA volleyball tournaments, while acting as sales support for Houghton-Mission publishing company.

Cazares, who earned a degree in political science at San Jose State in the spring of 2004, is single and currently resides in Sunnyvale. His sister, Patricia, graduated from Cal in 1989.