Simply put, Sue Gozansky is one of the most respected and successful women's collegiate volleyball coaches in the United States. The dean of UC Riverside coaches, Gozansky has led the Highlander women to over 600 wins. During that span, UCR has won three National Championships (1977, 1982, 1986) and had a NCAA-record streak of 19 straight playoff appearances. Gozansky also served as head coach for the UCR men's team for five years. She has been voted coach of the year in the California Collegiate Athletic Association five times (1981, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1996).
A popular clinician and camp director, Gozansky has travelled extensively in the United States and around the world teaching volleyball. Listed here are some of the highlights. She has coached at the Olympic Sports Festival as well as the USA women's "B" volleyball team consisting of players being considered for roster spots on the national team. She was men's and women's coach for the quadrennial Maccabiah Games (Jewish Olympics) in Israel in 1981(w), 1985 (w), 1989 (m) and 1993 (m). She is a certified instructor for the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB). She has given clinics for the Department of Defense Dependent Students (DoDDS) in Germany. Gozansky is a member of the USAVB Coaching Accreditation Program (CAP), She also authored the top selling book, Championship Volleyball Complete Book of Techniques and Drills. Her latest book is the Volleyball Coach's Survival Guide. This newest book is the teaching manual for the USAVB CAP II Certification Program. Most recently she has conducted clinics in the Kingdom of Tonga, Malaga, Spain, the Island of Dominica, the Dominican Republic and in Nepal.
Gozansky was an accomplished athlete at Cal Poly Pomona, earning athlete of the year honors after excelling in volleyball, basketball, badminton, softball and tennis. She competed on the varsity volleyball and basketball teams at UCLA and played on the national volleyball team before a knee injury ended her playing career. She received a degree in Physical Education from Cal Poly, Pomona and earned a Master's degree in kinesiology from UCLA. Among many postgraduate honors from Cal Poly are the 1981 Outstanding Alumnus Award and her induction into the inaugural class of the school's athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
Gozansky has made significant contributions to women's athletics and its growth. She has cleared many road blocks and opened doors for today's female athlete. During the formulative years of women's sports, Gozansky served as the primary representative for women's athletics at UCR and represented the Highlanders at the first Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) delegate assembly in 1971. When women's sports became a part of the NCAA in 1981, she served on the first women's volleyball committee. In 1990, she was recognized by the NCAA for 10 years of accomplishments and dedication to Division II volleyball.
Her career as a player and a coach spanned a time when playing opportunities were limited and not socially acceptable for women. There were no high school athletic programs or scholarships awaiting her when she enrolled in college. As a result of her expertise, efforts, dedication, and leadership, Gozansky helped create the changes now in place in women's athletics.