WAVE welcomes Connor Mortland from Balboa Bay Volleyball Club (2019-2021). During his time with Balboa Bay, Connor was a coach for two national championship teams: 17 USA in 2019 and 18 Open in 2021.

Connor believes that the combination of communication, effort, and trust are the keys to a successful team. Coaching is more than just training technique, but also teaching athletes how to operate within a cohesive unit that works hard and plays for one another.

Connor played as a setter for Epic Volleyball Club from 2004 to 2010. During his high school years, he was coached by fellow WAVE coaches, Darrell Dilmore and Jon Girten. At Epic, Connor won silver medals in the 16 Open and 17 Open divisions, while being named an All-American in 16 Open at the 2008 USAV BJNC. During his senior year, Connor was named to the 2010 Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 list.

Connor played for Mt. Carmel High School from 2007 to 2010, winning three CIF San Diego Section Division II Championships and making a trip to the CIF Division II Regional Finals in his senior year. Connor served as captain and starting setter his junior and senior seasons. As a junior in 2009, Connor was named First Team All-CIF and All-Valley League. In 2010, as a senior, Connor was named San Diego Player of the Year, CIF Division II Player of the Year, Valley League Player of the Year, First Team All-CIF, and First Team All-Valley League.

In college, Connor played for New York University from 2011 to 2014, serving as captain his junior and senior seasons. Connor was the starting setter for four years and holds the record for most assists in the program’s history during the rally-scoring era. Connor was named an AVCA Division III Second Team All-American his freshman, sophomore, and senior seasons. Connor was named EIVA Newcomer of the Year and All-EIVA Second Team during his freshman season, First Team All-UVC during his sophomore and senior seasons and earned Second Team All-UVC honors as a junior. Lastly, Connor was named NYU Male Scholar Athlete of the Year during his junior year.

Connor holds a BS in Accounting, BS in Finance, and MS in Accounting from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He currently works full-time in commercial real estate as Director of Acquisitions at Avanath Capital based in Irvine, CA.