Bio

Head coach Wick Colchagoff is entering his 26th season with the Oilers in 2023 and has recorded a 505-295 (.631) mark at Findlay. Coach Colchagoff has also recorded 16, 20-win seasons during his coaching career at Findlay and Nebraska Wesleyan.

During his time at Findlay, Colchagoff has won seven GLIAC South Division titles and has coached 27 first team all-conference players and 34 second team all-league athletes. He has also seen 14 players earn All-American honors and another 33 capture all-region accolades.

The 2022 season ended for the Oilers in Great Midwest Athletic Conference Quarterfinals. They finished the season with a 18-14 record and a 14-4 mark in the conference. Colchagoff coached five players to all-conference honors, including the 2022 G-MAC Player of the Year, Journey Blevins. He led both Blevins and Alana Pohlman to Midwest All-Region honors. Blevins was later named all-American by the AVCA.

Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 16-9 overall record in 2021. He guided freshman standout Journey Blevins, who arguably had one of the best freshman seasons in program history, to Great Midwest Freshman of the Year, AVCA Midwest Freshman of the Year, first team all-Region by the D2CCA, all-American by the AVCA, and all-American by the D2CCA. 

During the 2021 spring season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 9-3 record.

In 2019, Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 9-20 record. He guided the Oilers to a 24-7 record the year before in 2018 when they reached the finals of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Tournament and had two individuals earn all-region accolades and one capture All-American honors.

During the 2017 campaign, Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 28-7 record. The Oilers won the G-MAC regular season title and qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament. A year earlier in 2016, Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 21-10 record, which included a GLIAC South Division title and a trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The Oilers had three individuals earn NCAA DII All-American honors and also placed three on the all-region team.

2015 was a historic year for the Oilers program under the leadership of Coach Colchagoff. The team finished with a 26-9 record, which includes a win over #1 Wheeling Jesuit who went on to win the national championship, and played in its first NCAA Regional event since 2003. Along with team success, the Oilers were able to place three players on NCAA DII All-American teams including the National Freshman of the Year, Hailee Olson.

Colchagoff captured a South Division title in 2014 and earned GLIAC Coach of the Year honors for his efforts in guiding the squad to a 23-7 season. The team reached the semifinals of the GLIAC Tournament, but were upended by Ferris State University. During the 2014 campaign, the Oilers captured four GLIAC South Division Player of the Week honors and had one national player of the week.

Colchagoff led the Oilers to their first 20-win season since the 2006 campaign by going 20-12 during the 2013 season as the team qualified for the GLIAC Tournament for the second consecutive season.  The 2013 campaign followed a record of 14-17 in 2012.  The Oilers reached the GLIAC Tournament in 2012, the first time they had done so since 2007. 

Colchagoff led the team to a 15-12 campaign in 2011 a year after going 13-15 in 2010.  He also achieved 15 wins with a 15-18 record in 2009.  He guided the team to a 12-22 mark during the 2008 campaign and finished with a 19-14 record in 2007.

During the 2006 season, he led the Oilers to a 22-8 campaign, which followed a 22-10 mark during the 2005 season.  In 2004 he guided Findlay to a 24-8 record and had his squad ranked as high as 22nd in the nation during the year.

In 2003 Colchagoff guided the Oilers to a 29-8 record and their fourth consecutive GLIAC South Division title. Findlay, who advanced to the semifinals of the GLIAC Tournament for the first time ever, earned a four-seed in the Great Lakes Regional Tournament before being upended by Northern Kentucky in the quarterfinals.

The 2002 Oilers were 25-10 and co-champions of the South Division of the GLIAC. Findlay athletes were recognized as the South Division player of the week, six out of 11 weeks during the season, but the Oilers were eliminated in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament.

Findlay concluded the 2001 season with a 29-7 record, losing to Grand Valley State in the finals of the Great Lakes Regional. The squad finished the season ranked 21st in the country, marking the highest ranking the Oilers volleyball team has ended with in the history of their program. The Oilers also won the South Division of the GLIAC for the second straight year.

In 2000 Colchagoff led the Oilers to a 25-12 record. The Oilers were co-champions of the GLIAC South Division and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Regional before falling to Northwood University. This marked the first time that an Oilers volleyball team qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

During his second season in 1999, Colchagoff led Findlay to their best finish in school history. He coached the Oilers to an impressive 38-10 overall record, earning their first ever birth to the NAIA National Championships where they took fifth.  He finished with a 9-26 mark in his first season with the club in 1998 as well.

Prior to arriving at Findlay, Colchagoff was the head coach at Nebraska Wesleyan. The Plainswomen compiled a 17-20 record in Colchagoff’s first year and a fourth place finish in the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference during the 1995 season. In 1996, Colchagoff guided Wesleyan to a spot in the “Sweet 16” at the NCAA Division III Championships. That year, the Plainswomen finished the season ranked eighth in the final AVCA poll with a 23-12 mark.

In 1997, the Plainswomen earned their second consecutive bid to the NCAA Division III Championship after being ranked as high as sixth in the Division III national poll.

Coach Colchagoff and his wife, Lori, reside in Findlay and have two daughters, Colbi and Sydni.