After 11 seasons coaching and a national championship title in 2012, St. Thomas volleyball coach Thanh Pham has achieved another milestone- his 300th win.

Pham said he’s more confident in his coaching skills now than he was when he started.

“I’ve learned that every team is different, and every situation is different. Going through over 300 different wins and 60-some losses … it really helps us in the end,” Pham said.

Pham’s Tommies have gone 11-0 in the MIAC three times during his time at the helm, but setter Katie Maher said Pham’s unique coaching technique is what sets him apart.

“It’s not like anything you’ve ever seen before … but somehow it works. He’s the kind of guy who does a lot of real situation playing that gets us really ready for game time,” Maher said.

Pham focuses on team bonding, something outside hitter McKenna Reagan appreciates.

“He’ll mix us up with everyone- so we’ll all get to stay with different people. He’s really good at making sure that we stay close knit,” Reagan said.

Pham calls his 300th win a “by-product” of doing things right.

“I feel very fortunate and very lucky. We’ve been able to do a lot of different things with our team … such as recruit really good athletes, and these facilities are fantastic,” Pham said. “I’m just so glad that our kids work hard and try to do things right.”

But Maher said, of all the memories, seeing Pham proud of the team is the most special.

“He does shed a few tears after some games- especially the national championships- which is fun to see how much he puts into it and how much he cares,” Maher said.

Alison Bengtson can be reached at beng4632@stthomas.edu.