ALAMOSA–Adams State College head volleyball coach Lindy Mortensen has announced the hiring of Andy Rice as the Grizzlies' assistant coach for the upcoming season. Rice, a veteran coach and player, is also charged with starting the Adams State men's club team that will begin competition in the spring of 2011.

Rice had been the head varsity girls coach at Pagosa Springs High School for the past five seasons (2005-09) after serving as the junior high coach in the fall of 2004. He had also coached the Four Corners 18's girls' club team in Durango for the previous three years (2002-04) after spending three years as the head boys' varsity coach at San Marcos High School in northern San Diego (Calif.) County from 1999 to 2002.

In his time at Pagosa Springs, Rice and his staff guided the Pirates to 47 wins and sent an impressive 45 percent of his seniors on to play at the collegiate level. He also coached four all-state players, and during the winter season, served as an assistant coach for the Pirates' boys basketball teams for three years.

Outside of his coaching duties, Rice also served as the supervisor for the Pagosa Springs Parks & Recreation Department from 2006-10 and started a junior volleyball program that included 80 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 12.

A native of Madison, Wisc., where he played high school volleyball, basketball and tennis at Madison West High School, Rice played volleyball for the University of Colorado's club team while completing his bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in tourism and recreation in 1993.

In his first coaching stint at San Marcos, Rice helped the Knights to two playoff appearances in his three years, quite a feat considering the league is one of the top boys' volleyball leagues in the entire country.

"Andy will be an asset to our volleyball program in many aspects butespecially as a recruiter." said Mortensen. "He is organized and has a passion for the sport of volleyball. He will be a great addition to our coaching staff."

Rice has remained active in the sport on the sand winning numerous local sand volleyball tournaments while earning a top 10 finish in the Colorado Professional Volleyball Association Tour in 2005.

Rice, 38, married the former Annie Mortensen, Lindy Mortensen's daughter in June, 2008. The couple are proud parents of 16-month old daughter Addison.