Beach Volleyball
McFadden, Steve
Steve McFadden
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- smcf37@uw.edu
Steve McFadden was named the Interim Head Coach of the Husky Beach Volleyball program in September of 2025 and he will continue in that role through the 2026 season. McFadden first joined the UW program as an assistant coach in the summer of 2022, and UW has been ranked in the Top-20 throughout his tenure and reached its first NCAA Championships.
In McFadden's three seasons as an assistant, he helped the Huskies scale new heights, and end all three seasons ranked in the Top-20 nationally. The Huskies closed out the 2023 season ranked No. 15 nationally, then finished ranked a year-end program-high No. 13 in 2024, followed by a No. 20 year-end ranking in 2025.
Washington broke through to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 2024 in McFadden's second season on the staff. UW earned the No. 13 overall seed at nationals and the Huskies battled close with No. 4 Florida State in their tourney debut, falling by a 3-1 final, to finish with a 20-16 record. The Dawgs racked up seven ranked wins during the year including a 3-2 upset of No. 7 California for their highest-ranked win ever. Washington also was ranked a program-high of No. 11 during the season, and UW did not lose to a team ranked lower than 15th. McFadden helped Piper Monk-Heidrich and Zoey Henson earn All-Pac-12 Team honors.
McFadden's first year with the Beach Dawgs in 2023 was the best in school history until the 2024 squad topped it. The 2023 team earned its first preseason ranking at No. 20, and climbed up from there as high as No. 12, finishing at No. 15. Working Olson, McFadden helped the Huskies to a program-record 21 wins, with Chloe Loreen and Natalie Robinson becoming the first AVCA First Team All-Americans in program history.
Prior to Washington McFadden spent three years at Florida International, helping the Panthers maintain a constant presence in the national Top-20 rankings. His first season in 2020, FIU was off to an 8-1 start before the remainder of the season was canceled. In his first full season in 2021, FIU went 25-7 including a huge upset over No. 3 Florida State, finishing the season ranked No. 15.
In 2022, the Panthers were 22-11 overall and finished the year ranked 16th, posting upsets over top-10 teams Georgia State and Florida Atlantic. All told, FIU was 55-19 during McFadden’s time in Miami.
McFadden coached multiple All-Americans at FIU. Most recently, Giada Bianchi and Paige Kalkhoff were named to the AVCA Second Team in 2022. In 2021, Federica Frasca and Roberta Ribeiro were both named First Team All-Americans.
In 2021, McFadden was tabbed as an Assistant Coach for the USA Volleyball Beach National Team Development Program, where he has coached both boys and girls who aspire to play internationally for the USA. In June of 2023, he was named as one of the coaches for the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate National Team, working with the men's selections at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.
Prior to FIU, McFadden coached four seasons at Laguna Beach High School, serving as Head Coach from 2017-2019. The Breakers were runners up in the California state championship twice, and won the IBVL Pairs championship twice.
He began his volleyball coaching career at Tamarack Beach Volleyball Club in Carlsbad, CA. Starting in 2013, he helped the club send numerous athletes on to play collegiately.
A native of Bridgewater, New Jersey, McFadden played for several seasons on the Jersey shores before moving to California. He earned a AAA rating in the California Beach Volleyball Association.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management from The College of New Jersey’s School of Business in 2011.
In McFadden's three seasons as an assistant, he helped the Huskies scale new heights, and end all three seasons ranked in the Top-20 nationally. The Huskies closed out the 2023 season ranked No. 15 nationally, then finished ranked a year-end program-high No. 13 in 2024, followed by a No. 20 year-end ranking in 2025.
Washington broke through to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 2024 in McFadden's second season on the staff. UW earned the No. 13 overall seed at nationals and the Huskies battled close with No. 4 Florida State in their tourney debut, falling by a 3-1 final, to finish with a 20-16 record. The Dawgs racked up seven ranked wins during the year including a 3-2 upset of No. 7 California for their highest-ranked win ever. Washington also was ranked a program-high of No. 11 during the season, and UW did not lose to a team ranked lower than 15th. McFadden helped Piper Monk-Heidrich and Zoey Henson earn All-Pac-12 Team honors.
McFadden's first year with the Beach Dawgs in 2023 was the best in school history until the 2024 squad topped it. The 2023 team earned its first preseason ranking at No. 20, and climbed up from there as high as No. 12, finishing at No. 15. Working Olson, McFadden helped the Huskies to a program-record 21 wins, with Chloe Loreen and Natalie Robinson becoming the first AVCA First Team All-Americans in program history.
Prior to Washington McFadden spent three years at Florida International, helping the Panthers maintain a constant presence in the national Top-20 rankings. His first season in 2020, FIU was off to an 8-1 start before the remainder of the season was canceled. In his first full season in 2021, FIU went 25-7 including a huge upset over No. 3 Florida State, finishing the season ranked No. 15.
In 2022, the Panthers were 22-11 overall and finished the year ranked 16th, posting upsets over top-10 teams Georgia State and Florida Atlantic. All told, FIU was 55-19 during McFadden’s time in Miami.
McFadden coached multiple All-Americans at FIU. Most recently, Giada Bianchi and Paige Kalkhoff were named to the AVCA Second Team in 2022. In 2021, Federica Frasca and Roberta Ribeiro were both named First Team All-Americans.
In 2021, McFadden was tabbed as an Assistant Coach for the USA Volleyball Beach National Team Development Program, where he has coached both boys and girls who aspire to play internationally for the USA. In June of 2023, he was named as one of the coaches for the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate National Team, working with the men's selections at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.
Prior to FIU, McFadden coached four seasons at Laguna Beach High School, serving as Head Coach from 2017-2019. The Breakers were runners up in the California state championship twice, and won the IBVL Pairs championship twice.
He began his volleyball coaching career at Tamarack Beach Volleyball Club in Carlsbad, CA. Starting in 2013, he helped the club send numerous athletes on to play collegiately.
A native of Bridgewater, New Jersey, McFadden played for several seasons on the Jersey shores before moving to California. He earned a AAA rating in the California Beach Volleyball Association.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Management from The College of New Jersey’s School of Business in 2011.
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