Assistant Coach Mark Franke Mark Franke has been involved with the IPFW men’s volleyball team in official and unofficial capacities since the team’s formation in 1981. Since 1989, Franke has been a volunteer assistant coach with the team and has been part of all four of IPFW’s NCAA Final Four appearances. He has no volleyball experience or background, having learned the sport on the IPFW bench, and takes pride in being known as the most volleyballignorant coach in the NCAA. Still, Franke is an integral part of IPFW’s winning strategy because of his unique ability to record and analyze an opponent’s tendencies throughout the course of a match, and then predicting the next play they will run. He is well-loved by the players but only because he carries the team’s meal money on the road. Most importantly, he is the host of Channel 56’s Arnie Ball Show, widely acclaimed as the most unprofessional sports show on Fort Wayne’s cable system. A 1973 graduate of IPFW with a major in economics, Franke has been employed at IPFW for the past 27 years. He currently serves the university as assistant comptroller, director of financial aid, and student information system director. Franke has also earned two master’s degrees in business at IPFW. Coach Franke met and married his wife Tommy while they were undergraduates at IPFW. Tommy holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from IPFW. She is principal and a 7th–8th grade teacher at Ascension Lutheran School and serves as official scorekeeper for both the men’s and women’s volleyball teams.
Assistant Coach Dennis Johnson Dennis Johnson has been involved with IPFW volleyball since 1988. From 1988 to 1992, Johnson served as an assistant coach and helped the team to two NCAA Final Four appearances. After the 1992 season, Johnson left the team to pursue other avenues. In 1998, Johnson returned to help the team in an informal capacity and then became an assistant coach again in 1999 and helped the team to another NCAA Final Four appearance. Before coming to IPFW, Johnson coached the New Haven (Ind.) high school boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams from 1977 to 1988. In 1981, his boys’ team posted a 15-5 record and finished second in the state. From 1981 to 1988, his girls’ teams had an overall record of 150-50, winning the sectional title once and the conference crown twice. He also received Coach of the Year honors once. Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in business education in 1968 and a master’s degree in 1973, both from Ball State University. At Ball State, he was a three-year letter winner and a two-time All-Conference selection. Johnson also served as co-captain during the 1968 campaign when the Cardinals finished 33-3. Johnson has been a business law and economics teacher at New Haven High School since 1968. 10
2005 IPFW MEN’S VOLLEYBALL