Veteran university administrator and volleyball coach Tim O'Brien was named the commissioner of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association in February 2019.
O'Brien serves as the Director of Development at the John Felice Rome Center for Loyola University in Chicago. He previously served as the Development Officer at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
He brings extensive volleyball experience to the commissioner's position. Most recently, he served as associate head coach at the University of Connecticut for six seasons. Prior to his arrival in Storrs, O'Brien spent three years at Loyola University Chicago. In 2004 as the head women's volleyball coach, O'Brien led Loyola a 22-9 record, Horizon League championship, and to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2000. Prior to his promotion to head coach, he spent two seasons as an assistant with the women's program and one as the head coach of the men's program. in 2003, the Rambler men were 19-8 and lost in the MIVA finals.
A 1999 graduate of Springfield, O'Brien began his coaching career at his alma mater as an assistant for two seasons. In those two years, the Pride posted a 57-20 (.740) record, including a 31-7 mark in 2001 en route to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship. O'Brien was a volunteer assistant coach for the Springfield men's volleyball team which won its second-consecutive Division III National Championship in the spring of 2002.
At Springfield, O'Brien was part of the Pride squad that claimed the No. 1 ranking in the 1996 final USA Today/Mizuno Division III Coaches' Poll. In 1997, he helped Springfield capture the Inaugural Molten Division III National Title.
A native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, O'Brien graduated from Springfield College with a bachelor's degree in athletic training and received his master's degree in athletic administration.