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"When [Anna Collier] called me looking for a volunteer assistant coach, it turned out the team's practice times worked for me, and everything fell into line," said Blanton about the USC head coach who he has known for 20 years. "The opportunity to coach at a program as reputable as USC is something that I've wanted to do, so I jumped all over it."
Blanton has been a championship volleyball player at every level. As an All-American at Peppedine, he helped the Waves win the 1992 NCAA title. He went on to be the first two-time U.S. male beach volleyball Olympian, teaming with USC men's volleyball assistant coach Jeff Nygaard at the 2004 Olympics in Athens after winning gold in 2000 with Eric Fonoimoana.
As a pro, Blanton collected 11 tournament titles on the beach and more than $725,000 in winnings. He became the first male African-American to win a major beach volleyball event when he claimed the 1997 AVP Hermosa Grand Slam.
