University of Minnesota Athletics
Volleyball
Ikeda, Nao
Nao Ikeda
- Position:
- Director of Operations
- Alma Mater:
- New Mexico, 1990
- Email:
- ikeda003@umn.edu
Nao Ikeda joined the Gopher Volleyball program in 1996 and has been the director of operations since 2000. In her role, Ikeda is the program's travel coordinator, the day-to-day program organizer and the liaison to student housing, facilities, marketing and promotions, and the Point U! booster club. Arriving with former Gopher Mike Hebert, Ikeda has continued on with the current volleyball staff since Hebert's retirement in 2010.
Ikeda has had a great deal of experience with international volleyball programs and events. In 2008, she served as a manager and translator for the U.S. Men's Junior National team and was part of the training camp for the Japanese Men's National Team in their preparation for their qualification for the 2008 Olympics.
In the summer of 2006, she helped out the U.S. and Japan National Teams in a two-match exhibition in the World Volleyball League at the Target Center. She was also an intern with the U.S. Men's National Team in 2005 for two months, helping them with stats, assisting the team in practice, and traveling with the team. In the past, Ikeda has traveled with the U.S. Women's National Team in a similar role. She has also worked in Canada Cups, where the Japan National Team participated, as a translator.
The University of Minnesota took two tours to Japan in August 1998 (in Akita) and March 2015 (at the National Training Center in Tokyo). With her connections, Ikeda was able to secure affordable travel as well as efficient and substantial tour schedule.
In her first four years at Minnesota, Ikeda served as the second assistant coach for the Gophers. Ikeda worked in the same capacity at Illinois for two years, which gave her six years of experience as an assistant coach under Mike Hebert.
Prior to joining Hebert's staff at Illinois, Ikeda served as an assistant coach at Wichita State for two seasons. While in Wichita, she was the head coach of the Air Capitals Juniors 18 club team and worked on the summer volleyball clinic staff. In 1991-92, Ikeda was the event manager and administrative assistant for the New Mexico women's volleyball team, while serving as the junior varsity head coach at Albuquerque Academy High School and league manager of the Lobo Volleyball League. She was also a part-time assistant coach at New Mexico in 1990.
A native of Tokyo, Japan, Ikeda received her bachelor's degree in general studies with a concentration in economics and family studies from New Mexico in 1990. As a player at New Mexico, she was a starter from 1986-89 and a four-time all-conference player in the High Country Athletic Conference, as well as being named the 1986 High Country Defensive Player of the Year. Ikeda was a co-captain and all-region selection in 1989, the second of her two all-region awards. Ikeda was inducted into the New Mexico Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2011.
She was a member of the Hitachi Volleyball Team, the best team in the Japanese Volleyball League in Tokyo, from 1983-86. She was also a member of the 1984 Japanese Junior National Team.
In November of 2011, Ikeda was married to Daniel Sanchez, a native of Mexico City. Ikeda and her husband, avid salsa dancers, reside in Minneapolis.
Ikeda has had a great deal of experience with international volleyball programs and events. In 2008, she served as a manager and translator for the U.S. Men's Junior National team and was part of the training camp for the Japanese Men's National Team in their preparation for their qualification for the 2008 Olympics.
In the summer of 2006, she helped out the U.S. and Japan National Teams in a two-match exhibition in the World Volleyball League at the Target Center. She was also an intern with the U.S. Men's National Team in 2005 for two months, helping them with stats, assisting the team in practice, and traveling with the team. In the past, Ikeda has traveled with the U.S. Women's National Team in a similar role. She has also worked in Canada Cups, where the Japan National Team participated, as a translator.
The University of Minnesota took two tours to Japan in August 1998 (in Akita) and March 2015 (at the National Training Center in Tokyo). With her connections, Ikeda was able to secure affordable travel as well as efficient and substantial tour schedule.
In her first four years at Minnesota, Ikeda served as the second assistant coach for the Gophers. Ikeda worked in the same capacity at Illinois for two years, which gave her six years of experience as an assistant coach under Mike Hebert.
Prior to joining Hebert's staff at Illinois, Ikeda served as an assistant coach at Wichita State for two seasons. While in Wichita, she was the head coach of the Air Capitals Juniors 18 club team and worked on the summer volleyball clinic staff. In 1991-92, Ikeda was the event manager and administrative assistant for the New Mexico women's volleyball team, while serving as the junior varsity head coach at Albuquerque Academy High School and league manager of the Lobo Volleyball League. She was also a part-time assistant coach at New Mexico in 1990.
A native of Tokyo, Japan, Ikeda received her bachelor's degree in general studies with a concentration in economics and family studies from New Mexico in 1990. As a player at New Mexico, she was a starter from 1986-89 and a four-time all-conference player in the High Country Athletic Conference, as well as being named the 1986 High Country Defensive Player of the Year. Ikeda was a co-captain and all-region selection in 1989, the second of her two all-region awards. Ikeda was inducted into the New Mexico Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2011.
She was a member of the Hitachi Volleyball Team, the best team in the Japanese Volleyball League in Tokyo, from 1983-86. She was also a member of the 1984 Japanese Junior National Team.
In November of 2011, Ikeda was married to Daniel Sanchez, a native of Mexico City. Ikeda and her husband, avid salsa dancers, reside in Minneapolis.
Highlights: Gophers 3, St. Thomas 1
Sunday, August 31
Highlights: Gophers 3, Ball State 0
Saturday, August 30
Highlights: Gophers 3, Cal Poly 1
Friday, August 29
Highlights: Gophers 1, Texas A&M 3
Monday, August 25
